Bonnie Secret
by queen08
Summary: Bonnie had a secret for seven years that about to explode. Can she survive this and if she does survive will she get the family she's always dreamed of. Damon about to make the second biggest mistake of his life, can Bonnie's secret save him and give him the one thing he always wanted .
1. Chapter 1

**Bonnie Secret's**

**Beep, Beep, It's 7:00 rise and shine get out of bed sleeply head. Beep, Beep, get of of bed ****it's a brand new day time let's make it divine. B****onnie reached over and hit the off button on the alarm. ****She didn't know what aggravated her more the Minnie Mouse voice on the alarm or the cheesy rhyme, but since her 7 year old daughter Isabelle or Izzie has she liked to be called had programmed it so Bonnie made sure to set it every night. **

**Isabelle Sheila Bennett was seven years old, and although she ****appeared to be your normal 7 year old with her mother's mocha coloring, and she was slim and scrawny like her mother, however instead of Bonnie's jade green eyes, Izzie inherited her pretty intense baby blues from her father. Also her little precocious 7 year old level of intelligence was somewhat advanced ****compared to other kids her age. This was the reason it was recommended she skip the first grade and enter into the third grade. **

**Bonnie couldn't be prouder of her daughter ****and encouraged her to embrace her inquisitive and curious nature. She also still made sure to tame her future geninus and make sure she treated her as the 7 year old girl she actually was. That meant enrolling her in ballet classes and now art classes because her current obsession was drawing thanks to her new interest in architecture due to binge watching Fixer Upper. **

**After turning off the alarm and getting out of bed, Bonnie got ready for her day. She had a big meetign this morning with a client from Ney York and still had to go over her presentation. Bonnie was an interior designer with Lockwood & St. John and this last year had seen them taking on commercial clients and working with architects designing everything from shopping malls to high rise office buildings. This morning they had a meeting with Investors who were building a 25 floor high rise in downtown Mystic Falls and if they were able to sign this contract it would be a pretty big for Bonnie whose goal was to become a 3****rd**** parnter making the firm Lockwood, St. John and Bennett. **

**After dressing in a dark ****blue ****Balenciage suit with a pair of 4 inch black Manolo Blahniks she headed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for herself and Izzie. Bonnie turned the TV on to catch the morning news as she prepared waffles and got the "I heart Mommy" mug that Izzie had made in a pottery class out of the cabinet. She turned to reach for the coffee pot when the female entertainment ****reporter ****gleefully announced, ****" It looks like New York's most eligible bachelor Damon Salvatore is about to lose his title. ****Word on the street is he proposed this weekend to his girlfriend of over 7 years Felicia Forbes. Stay **** tuned for details in 5". **

**Bonnie ****froze and her heart ****started to pound and her ears started ringing the coffee cup slipped out of her hands and crashed ****onto the porcelian floor, she tried taking deep breaths to regain her focus as the reporter continued detailing the romantic proposal between Felicia Forbes and Damon Salvatore. Bonnie couldn't move it was like she was in a trance, and then all of a sudden, Izzie came bouncing into the kitchen at the same time that Bonnie's cellphone started ringing and the waffle maker alarm went off and Bonnie just stood there unable to move. Izzie bent down to pick up the broken mug and said, "Oh no Mommy your favorite ****mug we made broke. Izzie bent down to pick up the broken cup and afraid she wojudl be cut, Bonnie snapped back to reality and grabbed Izzie hand and directed her to the laundry room to get the broom while ****she grabbed her cellphone to send the call to voicemail ****but when she saw it was her best friend Caroline Forbes from the caller ID she knew Caroline would just call back or worse be on the first flight to Mystic Falls so she went to answer the call as she headed to turn off the waffles. Before she could get out not now, Caroline was yelling, "Bonnie, Bonnie are you okay, did you hear the news, I'm so sorry, it wasn't supposed to be announced until this ****weekend ****so I was going to call you first thing this morning, but of course that bitch probably informed the media before he proposed". **

**As Caroline continued to ramble on about Damon giving into family pressure, Bonnie looked back at the TV Screen now showing Damon dressed in a tuxedo with a blue tie that matched his ice blue ****eyes****, he was clean shaven, which highlighted his straight nose, and prominent angled jaw. Damon looked more like a model or heart throb movie star instead of Senior Vice President of Salvatore Industries. Bonnie again was finding it hard to breathe and ****focus that ****she didn't even see Izzie had walked ****back into the kitchen and was trying to sweep up the broken glass and ****she c****ould still hear Caroline rambling ****about Damon giving into family pressu****re,**** when ****Izzie touched Bonnie arm and said, "Mommy did Auntie Caroline say a bad word, and who and what is a bitch? **

**Bonnie ****knew she couldn't deal with Caroline and her inquisitive daughter so told Caroline to calm down she was find and ****she ****had Izzie with her so she would call her once she got to the office. This didn't immediatley appease Caroline so Bonnie used the only thing she knew to distract Caroline and that was to put Izzie on the phone. Caroline hated being an out of state god mother so she spoiled Izzie any chance she got. While Izzie distracted Caroline by asking when she was coming to Mystic Falls to visit, Bonnie was able to ****clean**** up the mess and once she realized she didn't have time to remake the waffles she told Izzie to tell Caroline she would call her once she got to the office, because both of them needed to finish getting ready if they were gonig to make it to school and work on time after stopping to get breakfast. **

**After indulging in chocolate banana pancakes with whip topping, Bonnie **** and Izzie walked out of the Grille ****and headed toward Bonnie'****s**** vehicle. Izzie was skipping along singing that was the best breakfast in the whole world. Bonnie laughed and buc****kled her daughter into her BMW X7 ****and they ****headed toward the expensive private elementry school Izzie attended. As they pulled up to the school, Bonnie parked the car and grabbed Izzie backpack and got out of the car and went to the passenger side and was not surprised when the door wasn't open and her daughter was still sitting in her seat with a frown on her little face. Bonnie opened the door and brushed her hand over her daughter's afro puffs and said, "not ready to go in yet? Izzie was suddenly shy and even through she loved learning, she was having a hard time adjusting to her new school. Not only was she younger than most of the children, she was also small for her age which made the kids in her class even bigger and she was intimated by the older children. Most of the children had been together since pre school so even through it was just elementry ****school**** cliches had already been formed. **

**Bonnie unbuckled her daughter from her seat and ****bent down and hugged her and said **** Izzie you're the most bravest, couragest little girl in the whole world and you just need to show these kids all you have to offer. **

**Izzie just rolled her eyes and jumped out of the car and said "mommy, you have to say that you are my Mom". Bonnie stopped and bent down and hugged her little girl and said Izzie do you think I'm a good mommy? Izzie looked up at Bonnie with those blue eyes and said, "Yes you are the best Mommie ever, you take care of me, you work hard for me, and you are my hero". Bonnie smiled down at her daughter with tears forming in her eyes and said Izzie do you know how I'm the best Mom every, because I have the best daughter in the whole world. **

**Izzie smiled and grabbed Bonnie hand in her small hand and giggled, "Mommy you don't know every girl in the whole world, but I get it we are a team and we are the best team". **

**Bonnie grabbed her hand as they walked into the school, and could hear Izzie ****repeating to herself, "be brave show them what you have to offe****r" They arrived at Izzie's home room so Bonnie hugged and kissed her goodbye before turning around to head back out the door when Izzie remember her Mom's meeting and yelled, I love you Mommy, have a good day and be brave". **

**Once Bonnie got back into her vehicle and headed toward the office, she could no longer avoid thinking about this morning engagement announcement, it all came crashing down Damon Salvtore the guy who had broken her heart was getting married. While he had been out of Bonnie's life for over 7 years, it was hard to completely get over him when she had a instant reminder to look at every day whlen she looked at Izzie. Even without her daughter has a reminder of Damon in the back of Bonnie's mind she still wasn't able ****to give up on them one day being a family. Now with him set to marry Felicia that dream was no longer a possibility. Bonnie needed a chance to come to terms with this new reality and decided to go into the office, get thru this meeting then take the rest of the day off so she could make sense of what was happening before she picked up Izzie. Bonnie had made a promise that her past would never effect or hurt her daughter. **

**B****onnie entered the building and rushed into the elevator and before she could even enter her office she was stopped by the receptionist, "Good Morning , Mr. Lockwood wants you to go straight to the boardroom the client is already here". Bonnie ran to her office to put down her bag and grabbed her folder for the "Bamon Project" before heading toward the boardroom. All thought of Damon Salvatore was pushed to the back of Bonnie's mind as she ****sat down at her desk to quickly review her notes. Bonnie was glad to have this meeting with developers on this project because so far everything had been top secret. Tyler Lockwood her boss had first been contacted regarding the project and everything surrounding the complex, the investors, developers, was top secret. Even the name "Bamon Project" wasn't the name of the actual complex and Bonnie was curious to find out what it stood for and what was going on. **

**B****onnie gathered her stuff and walked to the boardroom and knocked on the door, when Tyler said, "Come on in Bonnie". Bonnie walked into the boardroom and saw Tyloer and Enzo seated at the table and a dark haired man standing in the corner with his back to them talking on his phone. Bonnie sat down and noticed both Tyler and Enzo appeared nervous. Bonnie knew this was a big account but their firm was ****pretty successful and didn't understand their concern until the man turned around and smirked and said, "Hello Bon Bon"**

A/N

Sorry for any spelling or punctation errors, but wanted to get this story up before weekend was over. Ok please review and let me know what you think. This is my first story and I decided to try my hand at being an author for a couple of reasons. (1) I'm hoping that this will get an interest again in Bamon stories. I know it's been a couple of years since the series ended and alot of authors have lost interest in continuing their stories and this makes me very sad, because one of the things I've always liked about fanfiction is the oppourtunity we have to make stories that we didn't get on the actual show. These stories to me are better than the tv show, so I'm hoping that a couple of my favorite authors: venusnv80 will continue A Cup of Coffee and Gurl6 will continue Something Real, Zesty Bod Dear Elena and Astoldbylanah Secret Affairs to name a few would continue their awsome stories or at least give us at least one final chapter. In addition I wanted to thank CarlyCo for staying with All Warfare is Based on Deception (although I haven't read it in awhile because honestly never can see Bamon working out) she is 75 chapters in so Thank you. Also that anneryn7, sullivansherly, ManiQi, twitchytwain, and Lapis Love to name a few will continue to write.

(2) I also wanted to get an idea of the time and dedication it takes to write a story so I can learn to be a little bit patient when it takes time to update. I have a whole new appreciation and want to thank all authors for past and future stories. Hope to update this chapter if anyone's interested once a week.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Bonnie closed her eyes, this had to be a dream. However when she reopened her eyes Damon Salvatore was walking from the window to the boardroom table. He didn't take his eyes off Bonnie as he sat down at the head of table and said, "Bonnie please have a seat, I just signed a contract with Lockwood and St. John and for the next year, we will be working side by side."

For the second time this morning, Bonnie was frozen in place. She looked at Tyler and then Enzo and stuttered,"what is he talking about?" Neither Tyler nor Enzo would make eye contact with her, so Bonnie blinked a couple of times and walked to the table and sat down in a chair opposite Damon and glared at the 3 men, waiting for someone to explain what was going on.

Damon smirked and said, "I'm your new client, Salvatore Industries purchased the land downtown and we are building the 25 floor high rise and Lockwood and St. John have been hired to help with the interior design and I personally requested you to be the lead designer.

"You can't be serious" Bonnie yelled as her jade green eyes glared at him in a way that would normally scare off most people. Damon however wasn't going to be intimated, it had taken him over 6 months to pull this off.

"I'm very serious" Damon replied. He felt hurt and anger radiating off Bonnie, but there was another emotion her body language gave off but he couldn't quite name it just yet.

Bonnie looked to Tyler and Enzo and said, "Did you know about this?" Tyler shook his head no,. Enzo cleared his throat and responded, "Damon contacted me last year about wanting to purchase land for a complex, and said he was interested in being the architect on this. He also said that he would love to have me on board, we always talked about working together once we started our firm. After you joined the company and with the bad blood between you and Damon that didn't appear to be a possibility. This is a good opportunity for us, both professional and personally. I didn't know Damon was going to request your services exclusively but maybe you can take this time to heal or work out your issues and come to some type of understanding so we are all not caught in the middle". Enzo gave her a knowing look that confused Damon and scared Bonnie. Tyler looked at Bonnie and said, "I'm sorry Bonnie that you were blindsided by this, and you know I would never take part in anything that would harm or be bad for you. It's true I didn't know about Salvatore Industries being the anonymous client until this morning, but I've reviewed and discussed the project with Damon and it would honestly be good and profitable for all parties involved. Bonnie you are like family to me, and I would never do anything that would harm or jeopardize you or your family."

Bonnie heart stopped, she looked at Tyler with wide eyes. Was he going to tell Damon about Izzie or had he already told Damon. No if Damon knew about Izzie there is no way he would be this calm, but was Tyler giving her an opening to tell Damon the 8 year secret she has been keeping from him. Tyler could sense Bonnie's nervousness and knew she was afraid of Damon finding out about Izzie. While Tyler knew who Izzie's father was, Enzo only had his suspensions. He was told it was a one night stand Bonnie had while her and Damon where broke up and that was the reason Damon refused to talk about Bonnie and what ended any chance of a reconciliation,

Bonnie knew that Damon and Enzo were best friends and his loyalties lay with Damon, but Tyler was married to her other best friend and Izzie other godmother Elena Gilbert-Lockwood and she couldn't believe that Tyler would do this to her. She looked at Tyler and said, Did yo agree to me being the lead on this and working directly with Damon?" Tyler knew what Bonnie's fear was and he looked at Damon and Enzo and said, "Bonnie you are the best designer here, you reviewed your presentation for this job with me. It was awesome, we all 3 agreed that if you signed this client we would start talking about a partnership. Professionally as your boss, I think you have earned this job and ready to be a partner. Personally as one of your best friends, I know this is not going to be easy, or the ideal partnership, but I know you are hardworking, dedicated, conscientious superwoman and you can do this."

Bonnie didn't see convinced, she just sat in her seat looking out the window with all eyes watching her. She looked over at Damon and said, "Why are you really doing this, and why now. I just saw the news of your engagement this morning. Congratulations by the way, so is this just a way to further torture or taunt me?"

Damon looked over at Bonnie and took in every detail as she had changed so much from the free-spirit college student he met over 10 years ago. She was dressed stylish in an expensive suit, her hair was no longer in wild curls but a short bob. The Bonnie he fell in love with years ago was all light and whimsical, she had been such a breath of fresh air compared to the type of girls he usually dated. She kept him on his toes and pretty much ruined it for any other girl who tried to capture his heart. While the outside Bonnie looked professional and poised Damon now realized the other emotion was fear.

Maybe the fear was keeping Bonnie from not wanting to accept this project. Was she afraid because she still had feelings for Damon and afraid what would happen with them working together or was she afraid because she knew he would never give up on the life they dreamed about and she had moved on. Damon looked at Tyler and Enzo and asked if he could have a moment alone with Bonnie to discuss her reservations and deal with her anger and find out what had her afraid of him. However Bonnie looked at Damon and said, "That won't be necessary, if the contact is already signed unless I want to find another company to work for I don't really have much of a choice. I would however like to speak with Tyler alone."

Enzo stood up and looked at Damon and said, "That's fine we will go to my office and take a look at our calendars and see when we can plan another meeting to discuss drawing up our team for this project, and when and where to announce this to the media. Bonnie I will meet with you and Tyler this afternoon."

Damon stood up but before he headed toward the door, he looked at Bonnie and said, I was hoping we could meet for dinner tonight." He knew this was a calculated risk. Bonnie had shut him down with having a one on one meeting to discuss work, so there was a slim chance she would meet him for dinner, but he knew Bonnie hated conflict, at least the younger college age Bonnie did. He had no idea about the older harden version of Bonnie.

Bonnie stood and started walking toward the door. "Sorry I'm not available, but I'm sure Enzo or Tyler would be happy to meet you for dinner, will your fiance be joining you Mr. Salvatore?" Damon stood in her path and wondered if that's was where the fear came from, he didn't want to get in that discussion in front of Tyler and Enzo so he said , "Really Bonnie, Mr. Salvatore". His eye blue yes locked into her intense green irises. Bonnie moved to go around Damon and said, "You are a client of the firm now and since we have to collaborate on a business level I owe you a certain amount of respect, and unless my job title has changed we do not have to associate on a personal level, so I will see you in business situations only," Bonnie continued out the door and looked at Tyler and said, "I'll see you in my office."

Tyler stood up and said, "Well that went as well as I expected." Damon sat back down with a frown on his face and said, "You know that I'm serious about this project, this is not just some scheme to disrupt Bonnie's life. I've worked hard on putting this all together. You know that architect is still my passion, and had it not been for me giving into to family pressure, I might have my own architecture firm right now. I depending on this project being a success so I can pursue branching out on my own. I'm also not giving up on having a relationship with Bonnie. Even if it's strictly business at this point. We are going to be working closely on this project and it would be better for all of us if she can be in the same room with me without wanting to strangle or even worse kill me." Tyler walked to the door and said, "Let me talk to her, it's been almost 8 years, you seriously didn't think everything would go back to normal especially after the stunt you pulled this morning. Damon I know you have very little patience and are used to everything going you way, but this is going to take longer than 30 seconds and you batting those baby blues."

Tyler walked out the door and Damon looked at Enzo and said, "I need a drink, it maybe 9:00 here, but it's got to be happy hour somewhere." Enzo headed toward the door and said, "Let's go to my office chap, it's stocked with a mini bar. After watching that conversation, it appears we have more catching up to do. What actually went down between you and Bonnie 8 years ago." Damon walked out the door and said, "Yeah looks like both of us need to get caught up as far as Ms. Bennett is concerned."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Ten Years ago Martha Vineyard

Damon couldn't believe he forgot he promised Stefan that he and his college friends could use his beach house for one week during the summer. Damon had just spent his first year at Salvatore Industries after graduating from Harvard. After graduation he immediately went to go work with his father learning the ropes of making deals and growing the family empire. It had been a long year for Damon because his passion was design he loved the concept of taking a vision and drawing it on paper and seeing that concept or vision come to life. So having to sit in an office or boardroom instead of outdoors watching his vision go from paper to life was hard. In fact Damon was miserable and had taken a week off during the summer to unwind and determine if this was the life he was destined for or could he break away from the family plans that were decided before he took his first step or discovered his love for drawing.

Damon decided that a short escape to Martha's Vineyard for a couple of days is just what he needed. He thought that after a couple of days by himself he then might invite his old college roommates Enzo St. John and Ric Saltzman down and they could hit a few of the local bars and he would have fun and then return home and talk to his parents about his desire to branch out and find new opportunities for Salvatore Industries.

The 4 bedroom house sat on 11.95 acres with its own private beach. It had been given to Damon by his grandmother after his Grandfather Dimitri Salvatore had passed away. Damon's Grandmother Antoinette was aware of all the pressure that was placed on the firstborn son and grandson to be the next legacy and future of Salvatore Industries and she thought having someplace he could go and unwind and be out of the public eye would help him cope more with the stress and responsibility of being the heir to the Salvatore empire.

He had arrived at the estate late due to a late meeting and then missing the ferry and having to rent a charter to get him to the island. It was about 3 am when he climbed the staircase and fell onto the king size bed in the master bedroom. Damon was so tired he didn't even take off his pants. He removed his jacket and tie and shoes and left them on the floor. He was exhausted and would probably sleep thru the next day.

Bonnie had been sleeping for what felt like only 30 minutes when she woke up because she felt someone getting in bed behind her. Thinking it was Matt her best friend she turned over to cuddle with him because he was angry and upset due to a fight he had with Zoey his girlfriend who had spent the night flirting with one of the bartenders at the nightclub in town they went to.

Bonnie felt bad for Matt because they had planned this vacation several months ago, and he had confided that he was planning on proposing to Zoey while on the island. From what Bonnie could hear from them arguing when they returned to the house, it looked like they were breaking up instead of getting engaged. That would make the rest of their vacation awkward since the house was almost secluded on its own private island and only accessible by ferry or charter and the next ferry wasn't scheduled until the end of the week. That meant that if in fact Matt and Zoey did break up it would be at least 2 days before she would be able to catch a ferry back into town. Of course there were charter boats, but Bonnie didn't know if Matt or Zoey could afford the expensive cost of a private charter. In addition with it being awkward for the couple having to be in the same house right after a breakup, the sleeping arrangements might be an issue. There were only four bedrooms on the estate and Stefan and Caroline had taken one room, Tyler and Elena and Matt and Zoey the other two. That left the master bedroom in the house and the couples had offered it to Bonnie to compensate that she was currently single as she had just recently ended things with Marcel a guy she had been casually seeing for the last couple of months. Bonnie had tried to back out of going on the trip but Elena and Caroline refused to leave her alone in Mystic Falls.

If Matt and Zoey did break up that would change the room arrangements and while Bonnie didn't dislike Zoey she also didn't want to spend her vacation sharing a room with someone who had just hurt one of her best friends. Bonnie and Matt had been friends for years and this wouldn't be the first time they had innocently slept in the same bed so Bonnie didn't think twice about cuddling with him as even though she hadn't dated Marcel nearly as long as Matt and Zoey it still took her a minute to get over the ending of their relationship. In fact Bonnie figured she would rather share her bed with Matt for a couple of days then having to play nice with Zoey.

Bonnie with her eyes still closed reached out to wrap her arms around Matt and put her head on his chest. She reached up to rub her face in his neck and immediately noticed how good he smelled, she didn't remember smelling this cologne earlier that night when they had danced at the club. She breathed in deeper as Matt placed his arms around Bonnie and began to rub up against her. His lips started caressing her face and inching further down to her chest. Bonnie moaned unable to get over how instantly her body responded to Matt. All of a sudden Bonnie realized she was dry-humping with Matt, whose girlfriend was down the hall, Matt who was probably more of a best friend than Caroline and Elena. He knew more about her struggles with feeling like she never fitting in with the less than diverse population of Mystic Falls. Bonnie was one of only a few black girls at Mystic Falls High and spent most of her time with Caroline and Elena. Now that she was in college she felt she still didn't fit in, most of the black girls on campus had grown up in urban cities and she felt uncomfortable around them. First her style was more bohemian free spirit compared to their urban style and second she felt conflicted like she would have to choose groups. Bonnie had tried joining a black sorority while Elena decided against a sorority and Caroline joined a very social high maintenance sorority. It was very rare that they attended the same parties or events. Bonnie rarely saw her friends and the girls in her sorority were nice and welcoming but again Bonnie felt like she never really fit in.

By her junior year she had less to do with her sorority, but by then Elena was dating Tyler and Caroline was involved with Stefan who was from a very affluent family from New York so since NYU was a very diverse campus so Bonnie made other friends, but still considered Caroline and Elena her best friends. While Caroline and Elena were her best friends she still had a close bond with Matt. They had a lot in commence since Matt didn't come from a wealthy family, had absentee parents, and both still had to work their way thru college. It was actually Matt who went with Bonnie to buy her first car because her father was once again out of town on assignment. Bonnie knew that while she loved Matt she wasn't in love with Matt and knew he was hurting and maybe just wanted to be wanted by someone. Bonnie never had romantic feelings toward Matt and just because one of them was hurt and the other lonely she wasn't about to ruin their friendship with a one night stand.

Before things got out of control or went someplace they would both regret Bonnie said, "Matt we need to stop". She unwrapped her hands from his neck, but this just caused him to moan and move his body on top of her and that's when Bonnie heard.

"My name is Damon not Matt, so I guess that means we don't have to stop." Bonnie jumped back and over so far that she fell out of the bed. She was trying to get up and run for the door but was tangled in the sheets. Damon started reaching over the bed to the lamp on the bedside table, but before he could get the light switched on Bonnie started panicking and then frustrated because she couldn't get up off the floor.

"Who are you and how in the hell did you get in this house, I'm not alone and you better get out before my roommate's come in." All of a sudden the lights flicked on and Bonnie saw six pack abs on a sculpted chest, chiseled jaw, and then the most ice blue eyes on a face that had to be the mold for Adonis. Bonnie forgot all about an intruder in the house as she couldn't stop drooling over her almost lover.

Damon got out of the bed and walked over to help Bonnie up and said, "Okay Goldilocks, you want tell me why you are in my bed trying to seduce me?"

Bonnie then remembered that she was just making out with this stranger, and pushed herself away and said, "What do you mean your bed, and me seduce you, I was the one already in bed you got in bed with me. This house belongs to my friend Stefan Salvatore and I don't know if you are drunk and walked into the wrong house, or if you are homeless and thought the house was vacant but you can explain that to the authorities once they get here."

Damon laughed and said, "Wow you are quite the little firecracker, why don't you just calm down, if anyone needs to explain themselves to the authorities it would be you. If my memory is correct you started having sex with me, before Damon could finish the door opened and Stefan, Caroline, Elena and Tyler all came rushing in.

Caroline looked at Bonnie in only her bra and boy shorts and Damon in just his pants and said, "You guys were about to have sex?"

Bonnie responded, "Good heavens no." as she ran over to Stefan and said, "You need to call the security, sheriff, police, harbor patrol whomever is in control on this island, you have an intruder in the house who broke in and got in bed with me."

Damon again laughed and walked to the door as Bonnie yelled, "Quick Tyler and Stefan grab him before he escapes."

Damon said, "Hey baby, if anyone is an intruder that would be you, and yes Blondie your friend here got in bed with me looking at Bonnie he walked over to turn on the lights and said, "Don't pretend you didn't want this".

Bonnie walked back over to Damon and with no shoes on she was barely 5'4 compared to his 6'0 frame but with no fear she stood in front of him with her hands on her hips and poked him in the chest and said, "First of all I'm not your baby, and Second I was in the bed first and I think I would remember if I went to bed alone or not. Lastly I was trying to seduce you I thought you were someone else."

This caught Elena and Caroline attention, Elena said, "Bonnie who did you think you were in bed with, did you meet someone at the club?"

Caroline said, "I want to know what happened did you guys have sex? I didn't even know you knew each other"

Bonnie started rubbing her temples, and said, Elena no I didn't meet someone at the club and bring them back here and Caroline I don't know this person, haven't you been listening he is an intruder."

Damon walked over to Stefan and said "okay this has gone on long enough and its not getting us anywhere, we you please get these people out of my room."

Bonnie glared at Damon and said, "Your room, I thought this house belong to Stefan's grandparents."

Stefan sheepishly looked over at Bonnie and said, "Well it used to be Bonnie, but when my grandfather passed away it was given to my brother. Bonnie meet Damon, he looked at Damon and said, Damon meet Bonnie one of my friends from school. I thought you knew I was bring my friends up here this week."

Damon went to the open door and said, "No Stefan I didn't remember, because I wouldn't have traveled by plane, boat, and taxi over 8 hours just to climb into my bed to have one of your quirky friends try and seduce me. Now can you please all kindly get out of my room so I can try and go back to bed?"

Bonnie looked over at Stefan and said, "Your brother, oh my gosh I'm so embarrassed, I thought you said he lived in New York. She then glared at Damon and said, what do you mean try and seduce, remember I'm the one who stopped us when we were making out,"

Damon smirked and said, "That's when you thought I was hum who was it Matt?"

Elena and Caroline both screamed and Caroline said, "OMG, Bonnie what is going on?"

Bonnie, closed her eyes and rubbed her temples again and looked at Damon and said, "Thank you big mouth. She opened her eyes and bashfully looked at Caroline and Elena and said, "It was just a big mistake, Matt and Zoey got into a fight and I thought he came in here too sleep and I felt sorry for him and thought I would cuddle with him, glaring at Damon she said I didn't mean for it to lead to making out. Can we please just forget this happened, it was a misunderstanding and I don't want Matt to hear this he has enough to deal with without adding on my mistake?"

Damon motioned for the door again and said, "No problem, now can you all just get out of my room?"

The group started heading out of the room, and Caroline said, "Bonnie we need to talk about this", eyeing Damon still shirtless body.

Bonnie said, "Caroline not tonight I'm exhausted, embarrassed and now apparently I've lost my bed. Stefan is it okay if I sleep in the office for tonight and I can find my way back to the island and home tomorrow?"

Stefan said, "Sure Bonnie let me get the pull out ready and there is no way you are leaving tomorrow we will work this out. Let's all just get some rest and tomorrow we will figure something out."

Bonnie an Damon spent the rest of the week, arguing and bickering like an old married couple. Bonnie constantly picking on Damon for being a self-entitled, arrogant playboy, while Damon teased Bonnie that she was a self-righteous, judgmental Debbie Downer. The rest of the group could see what they didn't. CHEMISTRY.

After that week Damon and Bonnie wouldn't meet again until 2 years later when Stefan deviously tricked Damon into hiring Bonnie as his intern.

Author Note:

Thank you guys so much for the reviews and suggestions. I'm sorry about the misspellings and will try to do better with the layout. I was trying to rush the first 2 chapters and with this chapter I tried to take my time. This chapter was a little long but wanted to give some background on how Damon and Bonnie met. The next chapter will start with how they started a relationship but will also go back to them having to work together. Damon will find out about Izzie soon because The story is centered on their dynamic has a family.

Please continue the reviews and suggestions and remember this is my first story so I'm new at editing so I appreciate your kindness and patience.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Bonnie stormed to her office and once Tyler entered she slammed the door and said, "Tyler I can't work on this project with Damon."

Tyler frowned and sighed, he knew all about Bonnie and Damon's past relationship that produced Izzie. "Bonnie you know how persistent and demanding Damon can be when he wants something. Unless you plan on leaving the company or disappearing unfortunately I don't see a way out of this."

Bonnie went to her desk and sat down and put her head on the desk and said, "Yeah too bad he couldn't have been this persistent when we were dating." Bonnie lifted her head and looked at Tyler and said, "I just don't understand why me, and why now."

Tyler could see the fear in Bonnie's eyes and asked, "Bonnie what really has you scared, is it that Damon may find out about Izzie or that you haven't gotten over him and you are still in love with him?"

Bonnie grabbed a tissue off her desk to wipe away the tears that had started to fall and said, "Tyler I'm afraid of the unknown, I've never really thought about the fallout with Damon finding out about Izzie. I put Damon out of my mind as soon as I found out that I was pregnant, and then once Izzie was born I put all my energy into her well-being and making sure even through there was no father in the picture her having a well- balanced childhood became my top priority. With Caroline dating and now being engaged to Stefan I couldn't completely act like he didn't exist, but so far I've made sure our path's haven't crossed and kept him from meeting Izzie. It worked until now, so I don't understand why he is here and insisting we work together. He just got engaged is he here just to rub it in my face?"

Tyler went over to Bonnie and sat down on her desk and grabbed her hands, "Actually Bonnie I think that he just wants all the animosity to be over. You know it hasn't been easy for him since he thinks that as soon as you left New York you met someone else and had a baby after you wouldn't commit to him. Plus with Caroline and Stefan wedding approaching we are all going to be around each other and maybe this is the perfect time for you to get everything out in the open. I know you feel guilty he doesn't know about Izzie and Izzie has to be asking about her father."

Bonnie looked sheepishly and said, "Well not actually, when she was five and my cousin Lucy and her husband had a baby, she asked where her Daddy was, and I explained that since we were from a line of strong Bennett women and I didn't need a man. That seemed to work until last year my Brainiac daughter was doing research on babies and discovered artificial insemination and said she thought it was cool that I wanted her so much I turned to science. I thought it was the perfect explanation so I just went with it."

Tyler laughed and said, "That's why she is always trying to get me and Elena to find her a real daddy." Seriously Bonnie see how it goes working with Damon and if you can find it in yourself to forgive him, maybe it will make it easier to tell him the truth about his daughter. You know Damon is hot headed and unpredictable so if you can get over your anger and try to become friends, it might make it easier for him to forgive you and work out a situation where you don't wind up in a custody battle. Didn't you say your top priority was Izzie's well-being? I think having two parents who love their daughter and above all else are willing to co-exist to do what's best for her."

Bonnie stood up and said, "There is no way Damon would try and take my baby from me, he doesn't know the first thing about parenting, and I would take Izzie and leave first."

Tyler stood up and faced Bonnie and said, "Hey calm down, I'm sorry I didn't mean to get you worked up. Of course no one wants to see a custody battle but I'm just trying to get you to realize that you need to come to peace with Damon, when and if you tell Damon about Izzie is your decision, but you need to be ahead of this and there is just not Damon to think about what about Caroline and Stefan's relationship, since Caroline has never told Stefan whose Izzie father is."

Bonnie hugged Tyler and said, "Okay but can we just take this one step at a time, I'm not ready to tell Damon about Izzie until I know his real agenda." Would it be asking too much to have a personal assistant who will be the go between me and Damon?"

Tyler got up and headed toward the door and said, "Sure you can pick someone on the team to be your assistant, but again you know Damon if he plans on using this project to spend time with you, nothing or no one is going to get in his way."

Bonnie rolled her eyes and said, "Please I'm a mom now, I can be just as stubborn and persistent when setting rules."

Tyler walked out the door and smiled and said, "Right Bon, you are just like the rest of us, none of us are immune and can say no to your blue eyed princess Isabelle Bennett."

On the other side of the office sat Damon Salvatore swirling top shelf bourbon in a tumbler in Enzo's office. "Thank you Enzo for insisting that Bonnie work on this project. It really means a lot and I owe you big time."

Enzo sat behind his desk sipping his own bourbon and said, "Look mate if there is one thing I know about Bonnie Bennet don't thank me just yet. You know she is going to make your life a living hell during this project."

Damon laughed and said, "Don't I know it, but all seriousness I need to see if I can see my life without her and move on and get out of this engagement and find love, or if I need to say to hell with my parents and get my girl back. These last eight years have been miserable and now that my parents have announced my engagement without me actually proposing it's either now or never."

Enzo nodded his head and said, "I can't believe your parents man, do they have any idea of where you are?"

Damon said, "Yes they knew I wanted to venture into real estate and develop a high rise office and residential complex, they just didn't think I would be building and designing it in Mystic Falls. I've had the contractors working on the building for a couple of months now, so I'm ready to begin the interior design process while I continue to oversee the remaining construction. When I found out last night about the engagement I blew up and threatened to resign from the company and thank goodness for my Grandmother because she convinced them to let me get away and work directly on this project to give me a chance to think about my future."

Enzo asked, "Do you even know what you want? I mean when you came to me with this project I thought it was a good financial move, but when you came in here this morning and blindsided us with teaming up with Bonnie, I'm not sure what your end goal is mate."

Damon said, "That's easy I want Bonnie, I can't deny that I still love her. I know that eight years ago I couldn't be the man she deserved and she left me, and I was devastated when I learned she had a child by someone else, so that kept me away, but it hit me when my engagement was announced that if I don't stand up for what I want, and see if we can be together I'm going to end up in a marriage based on business instead of love."

Enzo said, "What about her daughter, can you be step-daddy to another man's child? I've met her daughter and she is a sweet and smart little girl, but you have to think about how your parents treated Bonnie can you imagine what they would do to a child that doesn't have the Salvatore blood running thru them."

Damon responded, "Well first I have to win over Bonnie and then her daughter. According to Stephen the father is not in the picture, so I don't have to worry about her daughter wanting her parents back together. Hey do you think it would be easier to win over the kid, that's got to win me points with Bonnie?"

Enzo laughed and said, "After the way Bonnie reacted this morning, you are going to have your work cut out with you on spending time with her outside of work, there is no way she is going to let you near her daughter and I wouldn't let Bonnie hear you call her daughter "kid" if you hope to ever spend time with either of them."

Damon responded, "Well now that I've got the hard part out of the way in letting her know I'm back and not going anywhere I need to find a place to stay while I'm here and figure out a way to work my way back into Bonnie's life."

Enso laughed as he walked Damon to the door, "If you think that was the hard part, you are in more trouble than I thought."

It had been a couple of days and Damon had found a townhome to rent, Mystic Falls didn't have a lot to offer in the way of Condominiums or penthouses there were only a few luxury hotels that's why he thought Mystic Falls would be such an excellent location for expansion. In addition he didn't put it past his parents or fiancée in trying to keep tabs on him, so he preferred if anyone called around looking or checking on him, he wouldn't easily be found. This morning he was back at Lockwood and St. John meeting Bonnie to move forward with his project.

He walked into the boardroom again and Bonnie looked up from her laptop and said, "Okay, Mr. Salvatore, let's set up some ground rules." Damon sat down opposite of Bonnie at the conference table. Bonnie was wearing a black dress with a red bolero jacket, and she looked fierce and sexy at the same time.

"You are looking beautiful today Bon Bon, see how I didn't use your professional name, try it its easy."

Bonnie sighed and said, "The first rule is that we keep this on a strictly professional level. I'm not interested in your personal life and I prefer if you stay out of mine". She closed her laptop and pulled out a calendar and took a deep breathe, and continued " Second is that we keep our work within business hours as I have a life outside of work that I keep separate from my clients and work."

Damon laughed and said, "As a businessman who has multiple projects going at the same time, there are days where I work well into the evening and on some weekends, what if I need to meet after business hours or on the weekend, surely you understand that is likely to occur."

Bonnie replied, "I will try and do my best to accommodate you, but I can't guarantee I will always be available."

"Are you seeing someone?" Damon knew the answer would be no from all of the snooping plus a little investigating he had done, but he wanted to see if she would tell the truth.

Bonnie shook her head, and looked him in the eyes and said, "First rule Mr. Salvatore".

Damon smirked and said, "I work on your first rule if you will work on calling me Damon."

Damon was getting a kick out of teasing Bonnie. He knew she was determined to keep their relationship on a professional level, but unfortunately he was also determined to turn the professional relationship personal. The sooner the better because he didn't have a lot of time before his family, would request he return home and start planning his wedding.

Before Bonnie could respond Enzo walked in with several other people and said, "I see this meeting got started without us, but looks like everyone is still alive. "

As people began to get coffee and pastries Damon whispered, "I'll agree to your rules for now, Bonnie." As she breathed out a sigh of relief and looked at Damon he said, "Only if you have one dinner with me. We need to deal with our past if we want any chance at making this partnership work." Damon needed to talk to her. To see if she hated his guts as much as she was letting on and if it was possible they could even salvage their relationship.

Bonnie glared at him and thought about her conversation with Tyler and said, "Okay you win, one dinner then we get back to a professional relationship."

Damon tried not to grin and said, 'I'll pick you up tonight at 6:00."

As people were starting to sit down at the table, Bonnie said, "I rather just meet you, email me the information."

There were about six people on this project in addition to Bonnie and Damon, two young male contractors who would work with Damon on the building construction, and one older man who would handle contracts and paperwork and Bonnie's assistant Nora and then Krystal the young designer Enzo had hired because he was currently sleeping with her mother. Bonnie had tried keeping her off the project because she was spoiled, rude, and couldn't follow directions, but once Krystal got a look at Damon she was determined to be on the project. Enzo felt that Krystal could learn to be a better employee and designer working with them on the team. Bonnie finally agreed because she thought that either Krystal would keep Damon busy trying to fend her off, and he wouldn't have time to bother Bonnie, or once Krystal learns Damon is engaged she will lose interest and move onto another project.

As the meeting began and Damon explained the project and went over major points and deadlines Bonnie sat back and thought no matter what she thought of Damon personally she was surprised at how excited he was for this project, Bonnie could remember when she interned for him and it was hard to keep him on track since he hated being in boardrooms and having to prove he had what it takes to be an heir to a empire he didn't even want. As Bonnie was deep in thought she heard Damon say, "Bonnie don't you agree?"

Bonnie looked around and all eyes were on her, she looked at Damon and said, "I'm sorry agree to what?"

Damon said, "Relocating your office temporarily to the site, as we will need to spend a majority of the time on site".

Bonnie shook her head and said, "Absolutely not, I can work in my office on designs and buying materials and furniture until the structure is established and then I can be on site when needed."

Damon explained that since he would like her input on the building layout she would be needed as construction had been started and he was ready to proceed with designing the interior. Krystal spoke up and said, "I'll relocate to the site to assist you Mr. Salvatore." As she giggled and fluttered her fake lashes and big brown eyes at him. Another thing about Krystal is she was constantly trying to replace Bonnie at her job.

Damon smiled at Krystal and politely said, "Thank you Chrissie was it, but I think that you would be better at being the go between Lockwood & St. John and Salvatore Industries. You can work with the team on tenants and leasing. You look like you would be up to date on what kind of hot spots millennials are interested in."

Of course Krystal was so caught up in Damon giving her some attention she didn't even realize he said her name wrong, she just blushed and pushed her chest out and said, "Exactly that's what I've tried to tell Tyler and Bonnie but they won't listen to any of my ideas"

Bonnie was getting irritated and looked at Krystal and said, "Well Chrissie when you come up with any idea that's better than suggesting stripper poles when a client requests a work out area for employees, will consider them."

Krystal looked at Bonnie and said, "My name is Krystal with a "K" and how was I to know that the Red Door was a textile and fabrics store instead of a strip club."

Both Damon and Enzo couldn't help but laugh which caused Bonnie to look at Damon and say, "Yes because what's more classy with a "K" then knowing how to pick out stripper poles?"

Before things became heated Bonnie's phone rang and she saw it was Izzie school so she immediately said, "Nora can you feel me in on anything that involves me, I need to take this call."

Bonnie walked back to her office as she answered her phone and the school nurse called to say that Izzie wasn't feeling well and had spent the last hour in the wellness room and it did appear she was running a fever. Bonnie told the nurse she would be there in 20 minutes. As Bonnie picked up her briefcase and told her assistant to forward any calls to her home number as she was going to work from home the rest of the day.

As she walked to the elevator Krystal was coming out of the boardroom with Damon and overheard Bonnie and said with glee, "You are leaving this soon, I'll be sure to do whatever I can to help out Damon."

Bonnie pushed the down button and looked at Krystal and Damon and said, "Krystal I'm working from home for the rest of the day, if Mr. Salvatore needs assistance he can contact Nora who will handle it or contact me."

Damon didn't want Bonnie to think that he was interested in Krystal as he didn't need anything else she would use against him, so he said, "Is everything okay, can I help you with something?"

Bonnie looked at Damon and she didn't know how to bring up Izzie so she said, "No everything is fine I need to pick up a delivery then will just work from home the rest of the day. Thank you for asking."

Damon knowing that it might have something to do with her daughter he walked with Bonnie into the elevator and said, "No problem I'm actually have phone calls to make with investors so I'll just call you later about maybe scheduling dinner for later this week. "

Bonnie smiled at Damon for being understanding and said, "Okay I appreciate that."

As Bonnie drove to Izzie's school she realized that she had been worried about how Damon would react when he found out about Izzie she now was concerned with how Izzie would react when she found out about Damon.

Pulling into the school parking lot, she hurried to the nurse's office and saw her little girl laying on a cot wrapped in a blanket. She rushed over to her and said, "Oh honey are you sick."

Izzie turned over and said, "Mommy my stomach hurts". Her saying Mommy proved just how sick she was, Izzie thought only babies said Mommy she preferred to call her Mom or Mother unless she was upset or sick.

Bonnie reached down and picked up Izzie and she looked so pale and sick, she said, "Okay baby let's get you home."

Izzie wiggled down as she didn't want the other children to see her being carried out of school and said, "I'm not a baby Mom, and I can walk to the car."

Izzie also became more like Damon when she was sick or unhappy because she became temperamental and irritable. Bonnie grabbed her hand and said, "Sorry I forgot you are my big girl, let's get you home and see how you do and then if you are not better tomorrow we will need to make an appointment with your doctor."

Bonnie got her all buckled in the car and started the drive home, She started thinking about what would it be like if her, Izzie and Damon were a family, he would be driving the car while she sat in back and comforted their daughter. She didn't realize she was so deep in thought until Izzie said, "I'm sorry Mom."

Bonnie pulling into their parking spot and said, "What for honey."

Izzie blue eyes began to tear and she said, "I ate all the chocolate from the gift Aunt Elena sent I was only going to put a couple in my lunch bag this morning, but then I didn't have time to pick out which ones I liked so I just put the whole bag and then I ate some this morning and I guess I ate too many."

Bonnie got her daughter out of the car and this time Izzie let her pick her up and she kissed her forehead and said, "I'm not mad, how about we go upstairs and I'll give you something for your stomach and will put on our pajamas and watch movies the rest of the day?"

Izzie smiled and said, "I would like that Mommy, can I pick the movie and maybe if my stomach feels better later we can have noodles for dinner."

Bonnie laughed and opened the door and Izzie got down and ran to her room to change clothes as Bonnie went to her bathroom to get the medicine as her phone buzzed and she had a message from Damon.

"I hope everything is okay, and if you need anything let me know. I'm serious in just wanting to talk to you and clear the air, if you need to stay with your daughter I can have something delivered and we can do dinner at your house, or you and your daughter are welcome to come to my penthouse so you can give me decorating tips. Just let me know."

It all became real for Bonnie at that moment when Damon mentioned Izzie, it's was like the curtain had dropped and you could now see the cast of the play. Until that moment it was like since Izzie hadn't been discussed to Damon that he didn't know she existed, but now that he had acknowledged her Bonnie had two people who were either going to be very excited to get to know each other or very disappointed and hurt and never forgive her for keeping them apart.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Damon, I don't understand why you are insisting on designing a skyscraper in Mystic Falls, when there are plenty of opportunities in New York." His mother Lily Salvatore whined over the phone. She had spent the past 30 minutes trying to convince him to come back to New York and start planning his wedding.

"Lily the last time I checked you were not knowledgeable on architecture or real estate, so how would you know the advantage of getting ahead of other developers in Mystic Falls."

"Damon my patience with you is running out and you will address me has mother and show me some respect. I know that you think because you have your grandmother wrapped around your finger you can try and assert your independence, but your grandmother does not control Salvatore Industries, and unless you want to give up the lifestyle that you have become accustom to and any chance on continuing this fantasy of venturing into real estate you will treat me with some respect."

Damon rubbed his hands over his face and said, "Mother it's hard for me to show you respect when you fail to respect my wishes. I explained to you that I wasn't ready to marry Felicia and you convinced her to just announce our engagement forcing me into going along with it or embarrassing both our families."

"Damon I'm only thinking of your future, you are destined to control Salvatore Industries one day and people still think you are a spoiled, rich, playboy. You need a proper wife so people will take you seriously. I'm hosting a dinner party next month and the invitations have already been sent out and I expect you to be here."

Damon said, "This had better not be an engagement party, I asked for you to give me some space and you agreed. If you are going to go back on our agreement than not only will I not be attending your dinner party, but you may force me to resign and not return to New York any time soon. I've heard that a lot of companies are eager to partner with me on future project. The work I've done in the past and this project show my talent and I can either continue with Salvatore Industries or go out on my own and you will have to find someone else to manipulate."

On cue the tears started and his mother cried, "Damon is it wrong for me to want what is best for you, and secure your future in a company that has been in the Salvatore family for over 75 years. Your great grandfather started this company by providing loans to small businessman and now look at what it's grown into. I know with your determination and vision we can be a multi-billion dollar conglomerate."

Damon replied, "Mom, I appreciate the faith you have in me, but while you can advise and help me professionally, you need to let me handle my personal life and let me decide who and when I get married. I will try and make your dinner party, but there will be no reference to an engagement."

With once again getting her way, his mother responded, "Thank you, I will expect you back in New York next month."

Damon hung up the phone and thought what if he would have had the courage to stand up to his mother 8 years ago when he wanted to follow Bonnie back to Mystic Falls he wouldn't be in this situation. Damon thought back to the second time Bonnie came back into his life. He had been looking for a new assistant because the last 2 had been nothing short of nightmares. One couldn't do her work because she was too busy flirting and trying to get him into bed. Although she was pretty Damon made an effort to not combine his professional life with his personal life, and the other was too old and couldn't use the computer, phone system, or keep track of his schedule, she spent her time gossiping in the cafeteria with the cashier. He had been complaining to Stefan about needing a good assistance when Stefan said that his friend Bonnie was going to be spending the summer in New York with Caroline and she was looking for a job. Damon remembered her from Martha's Vineyard and while she was quite judgmental, he knew she was a straight A+ student and would know her way around an office and the fact that most of the time she couldn't stand him he didn't have to worry about her trying to seduce him so he agreed.

Damon remembered Bonnie's first day. Gone was the curly unruly hair and denim shorts and bathing suits. She walked into his office in hair straightened into a slick pony tail, a black pencil shirt and white button up blouse.

She stood in front of his desk and said, "Human Resources told me to come straight to your office, and you would give me instructions."

Damon instructed her to have a seat and said, "Do you have any experience at being an Executive's Assistant?"

She shook her head, "Not actually but I was the Assistant to the Dean of the Art Department, and worked as an aide in the Financial Aid Department."

Damon said, "Well this job isn't quite as simple as catering to college students. You will be responsible for my personal and professional calendar, travel arrangements, meetings, preparing documents, and being the go between me and my parents."

Bonnie nodded and said, "I've researched Salvatore Industries and while I don't agree with some of your financial interests and investors, I will admit that I'm impressed with your philanthropist efforts in revitalizing the inner city with community centers, restaurants, entertainment and art museums and local shops while getting rid of the liquor stores and gentleman bars."

Damon was impressed and felt pride as Bonnie spoke of his work and contribution to inner city areas around New York. He was so caught up with her compassion and confidence not to mention that she just had that natural sex appeal without even trying. Her skirt and blouse were not meant to be sexy but professional. However the way the skirt clung to her backside and accentuated her bubble butt and the blouse showed off her tiny waist and perfect C cup breasts. It brought back memories of being around her at the estate that summer. After their first night winding up in the same bed she went out of her way to avoid him, the times he did see her she was in bikinis but always wore a cover up or tee-shirt, even when they all went out hitting the clubs one night she looked more like a Liberian then a care free college sophomore. she rarely wore make up but he didn't know if it was the time spent outdoors in the sun but she had a natural beautiful glow of course she was always flushed when she got annoyed with him from something as simple as leaving the milk out on the counter to bringing back multiple woman during his stay at the estate. He was so busy staring at her he forgot to respond until she said, "I'm apologize I shouldn't criticize your families business."

Damon immediately said, "That's not necessary it appears you have done your research, and just so you know I plan on continuing my efforts in developing and revitalizing the urban and metropolitan areas, I feel it's a completely new direction for Salvatore Industries to explore as the opportunities are limitless. However my parents are not completely on board, that's why part of your duties will include helping me keep them busy with the financial benefits versus the economic and social benefits. Can you manage that?"

Bonnie looked at him and said, "Yes Mr. Salvatore I can."

"Please just Damon" For some reason her calling him Mister just didn't feel right.

Bonnie frowned and said, "That wouldn't be very professional."

Damon looked at her with those intense blue eyes and said, "Well since we spent almost a week together, I would like to think we have a personal relationship or at the very least a friendly relationship..."

Bonnie stood her ground and said, "First rule of Executive assistance etiquette. If I call you by your first name in front of other employees, clients, boardroom members or heaven forbid your parents, they may take that to mean you don't mind an informal greeting or worse we are sleeping together."

Damon laughed and got up from his desk and walked over to Bonnie and shook her hand and smiled and said, "Welcome to Salvatore Industries Ms. Bennett, but at least call me Damon when it's just us."

In that moment both Bonnie and Damon felt something shift. Neither wanted to admit their attraction. Bonnie remembered the Damon she met at Martha's Vineyard, she thought he was an arrogant, egotistical, playboy who only concern was rebelling against his parents and competing with his friends for women. She had to admit that she initially told Stephen hell no when he told her about Damon needing an assistant. That changed when she discovered the salary alone would help her with paying off her student loans and would look good on her resume, also she had researched Damon's current project and he was branching out and working on revitalizing urban neighborhoods, she was actually very impressed and excited to be a part of it.

Damon had to admit he was excited about working with Bonnie, he knew he would benefit by having her on board. There was no one else in the company who supported his desire to go to urban areas and build healthy neighborhoods with apartment buildings, community centers for kids, bookstores, fitness studios, movie theaters the possibilities were endless.

Damon said, "Okay Bonnie let me show you to your desk and around the building." Damon followed her out the door and watched the sway of her hips, and the swing of her ass as she walked out the door and thought, she's going to be trouble. Damon was not surprised by his attraction to her because she was beautiful, but didn't do a lot to make herself beautiful, which made her that much more alluring and different from the other women he had dated. She was strong, confident, passionate advocate for women empowerment and generally cared about all people. What he was surprised by was her total lack of reaction to him. Most women threw themselves at him, but he could tell she wouldn't be interested in pursuing a personal relationship with him, no less try to seduce him. It would be okay. He could ignore the attraction, he needed to concentrate on business and the last thing he needed was to get involved in an office romance. His mother was always complaining that in order to be a successful business man you needed the right woman behind you and he could tell that while Bonnie would be a great asset in business because she seemed to share his passion for not only making money but making a difference, she wouldn't be so what his mother considered the right woman for her first born and heir to Salvatore Industries.

Bonnie sat on her couch running her fingers thru Izzie hair has she had fallen asleep in Bonnie lap while watching Doc McStuffins so Bonnie started reliving eight years ago when she had fallen in love with Damon. Of course she had to admit that when she first met Damon on Martha's Vineyard she thought he was handsome and intriguing even when most of the time she couldn't stand to be around him because most of the time his ego and arrogance unfortunately overshadowed any kindness and compassion. That all changed after she started working for him, he was the best boss she'd ever had, His kindness, generosity, and passion for wanting to make a difference in the world won her over. Just like every cliché or rom-com movies written she fell for him. It was just her luck that not only did Damon have a hard time standing up to his parents on his career, he also wouldn't go against their preference on what they believed the perfect corporate wife should look like.

They worked well together and shared the same vision on restoring communities and families, in fact working with Damon on implementing a chain of office space and apartments in a poverty stricken neighborhood is where she developed her love of design. Of course they became closer, flirted, and soon found themselves celebrating the opening of a community center that would not only be a safe place for young children to go after school and present options for pre-school for parents who couldn't afford daycare it would bring jobs to the area. Caught up in the happiness of what they accomplished they shared their first kiss. Bonnie felt her body tingle as she remembered that night.

They had just walked the last guests out the door and Damon turned to Bonnie and said, "We did it everyone loved the center, the mayor even approached me about joining city council and getting other developers and investors on board for projects like this across the city." He picked her up and swung her around and has he put her down he looked into her eyes and although he meant to hug her he ended up kissing her. At first she was shocked but then that same electricity she felt when she was with Damon in Martha's Vineyard came roaring back and she clung to him and his lips were soft and insistent pressed against hers as his hands braced her shoulders before starting a slow, languid journey down her back before settling on her hips. Bonnie pulled his body closer as her body vibrated with a deep need that almost overwhelmed her.

His tongue touched her lips and kept probing until she opened up. Once she did he took full advantage and his tongue began a slow dance with hers. Bonnie slide her hands up his chest and around his neck to curl her fingers thru his hair. Damon cupped her neck and tilted her back, he moved his lips from her mouth to her neck and Bonnie let out a moan that triggered something in Damon that caused him to pick her up and move her against the wall. The dress Bonnie had on rose on her hips and this time it was Damon who moaned and Bonnie gasped as his fingers brushed against her thigh and up inside her panties.

Bonnie groaned, "Oh yes, please, yes."

Damon went to remove her panties just as there was a knock on the door, They, were so caught up they didn't immediately stop until they heard, "Mr. Salvatore I'm the driver you requested are you ready?"

Bonnie grabbed Damon hands and said, "You need to stop before he comes in."

Damon took a death breath and fixed his pants and Bonnie went to pull her dress down and realized the zipper in back was unzipped, she walked to one of the class rooms as Damon got the door.

When she returned he had her coat and looked at her with desire still in his eyes and said, "Can I offer you a ride home?"

Bonnie knew if she got in a car with Damon she wouldn't be able to resist either going back to his place or inviting him to hers, so she sighed and said, "No that's okay I borrowed Caroline car and she is at home waiting for me to return to tell her about how the evening went."

Damon walked over to her and helped her into her coat and said, "I could follow you and we could go back to my place to continue celebrating."

Bonnie knew exactly what he meant by celebrating and now that she had time to come to her senses, she said, "I don't think that would be wise considering what almost just happened."

Damon sighed and said, "Bonnie please come back to my place so we can talk about this. We can just talk I promise because I think that what just happened between us has been building for some time now. I'm not looking for a one night stand, the feelings I've developed for you is something I've been searching for my whole life. Somebody who accepts me for me not what my family name can do for them or who my parents think I should be? You have seen both the good and bad in me, you have slowly become not only my assistant but my best friend."

Bonnie could see the honesty and desperation in Damon's eyes and voice and took his hand and said, "Tell your driver to go and we can drive back to my apartment, Caroline is actually staying uptown at Stefan's."

That night was just the beginning for the rest of the summer Bonnie and Damon were inseparable both in the office and out. They kept their relationship a secret from everyone but Stefan and Caroline. They continued to see each but after dating for almost 2 years Bonnie was tired of sneaking around and Damon's mother started getting suspicious of the time they spent together. They attended all of his social events together and he used the excuse that Bonnie as his assistant needed to be there for networking and she had a way with investors or she was just tagging along with Stefan and Caroline. His mother however took matters into her own hands and began hosting dinner parties and inviting her best friend and Caroline's cousin Felicia Forbes. Since there was no reason for Bonnie to be at social dinner parties Lily made sure to leave her off the list. Lily also began to demand Damon start working on securing contracts to further Salvatore Industries interest in global marketing. She thought if Damon was busy with travel he would have less time to work on renovating low income neighborhoods, which she felt he was only doing to impress Bonnie. She also thought this would lessen the time they spent together, so Damon decided that maybe if he pretended to date Felicia it would divert his mother's attention from Bonnie and she would ease up on his travel time thinking he would need to be home to wine and dine Felicia. Lily was so excited with the prospect that Damon might be ready to settle down that she went out of her way to initiate Felicia into the Salvatore family. She had a feeling that Bonnie was in love with Damon so she made sure that Bonnie was no longer responsible for Damon's personal calendar if there was an invitation to an event Felicia called and informed Bonnie, Also she used Felicia to limit Damon's time spent on his real estate ventures and back on Salvatore's Industries financial holdings.

Bonnie was against the "fake" relationship, but Damon argued that he had learned it was easier letting Lily think she was getting her way versus trying to get her to change her mind or constantly being at odds with her. Bonnie asked Damon how far he planned on taking this fake relationship. He assured Bonnie that this wouldn't affect their relationship he wouldn't really be dating Felicia just attending his mother's dinners and social events. He promised he would still see Bonnie at work and anything other than his mother's social events. Bonnie still felt it was wrong to string Felicia along with the ideal that she was in a relationship with Damon.

Since Bonnie had been working with Damon her interest in design had grown and since she had a business degree with art minor, she wanted to explore interior design. Now that Damon spent the majority of his time in boardrooms and expanding the global and business accounts, he had little time to continue his work in inner cities. She knew this is just want Lily wanted since she hated that Damon took part in caring about inner cities and working with those she felt was far beneath his social and economic pedigree. Therefore working at Salvatore Industries no longer had the same appeal to Bonnie.

Damon plan to divert Lily's attention from Bonnie backfired as now what time he didn't spend in the office he spent at some function or party with Felicia. Bonnie knew Damon would never stand up to his mother and at this point instead of being the girlfriend she felt like the other woman or side piece. She knew that if they had any chance for a future it wouldn't be in New York. When one of her best friends from back home Elena Gilbert told her that her fiancée Tyler was opening up an architect and design firm and interested in Damon being a partner and Bonnie as an designer. Bonnie thought this would be the perfect opportunity for them to be together and on their own. When she brought it up to Damon he said that he needed time to make sure Salvatore Industries would be in good hands if he stepped away. After 6 months he still said he needed more time. Bonnie was miserable and saw very little chance of a future with Damon, so after considering her options, she made the decision to take her future in her own hands. She called Tyler and accepted his position and one night when Damon was at a gala with Felicia she packed her car and headed to Mystic Falls and planned on never looking back.

A tear fell down Bonnie's face as she remembered the heartache of leaving Damon and New York, she looked down at her sleeping daughter and kissed her on the forehead. While her heart may have been broken and never the same, she did get the greatest gift she would never regret and that was their daughter.

Bonnie's phone buzzed and she picked it up and it was a message from Damon. "How is everything? I know it's too late for dinner but could you meet me for a nightcap I really want to talk to you?"

Bonnie hoped she didn't regret this but she started typing, "I don't have a babysitter, but you can come by my place, I don't have any bourbon but I have a nice wine you may like."

Damon quickly replied, "I'm sure I will. I'll be there in 15 minutes."

Bonnie gathered up Izzie and took her to room, she knew Izzie was sound asleep and probably wouldn't wake up to the morning so she felt safe with inviting Damon over. It was a big step, and she hoped she wouldn't regret it, but Tyler was right if she wanted any chance of working out amiable relationship with Damon if or when she tells him about Izzie she needed to listen to his reason for wanting to work together. Bonnie realized she never gave Damon the opportunity to explain why he was here and why he had chosen her to work with. She had to admit they worked pretty well together before and he always said maybe that's all he wanted. Now that she thought about it, he was engaged and to be honest he had made no advances toward her, so it could be only a professional relationship he was interested in. If that was the case that also presented a tough decision on telling Damon about Izzie. It might come between his and Felicia relationship, and if it didn't was Bonnie ready to let some other woman be a step-mom to her daughter. Then there was Izzie, would she never forgive Bonnie on missing out on not having a father and blame her for not correcting her when she thought she was conceived with the assistance of a sperm donor. Bonnie was getting dizzy thinking about all of the possible fallout from keeping Izzie a secret from Damon.

As she walked back down the hallway she was thinking she should text Damon and tell him tonight wasn't a good time. She needed to think about Izzie and so far instead of doing what would be best for Izzie she had reacted negatively to Damon coming back into her life.

Before she made it to her phone the intercom buzzed letting her know she had a guest. She took a deep breath and walked to the door and looked at the monitor on the wall and saw Damon standing there with flowers and a bag in his head she buzzed him up,

She went to open the door and once Damon got off the elevator he walked to the door and smiled and said "Nice look Bon Bon".

Bonnie looked down and realized she was in the power puff girls pajamas her and Izzie had changed into when they got home. She said, "Well I wasn't expecting company, if you want to wait until tomorrow I would be more than happy to be in more grown up attire."

Damon walked the rest of the way in and said, "No way would I give you the chance to change your mind, you have no idea of how long I've waited for this."

Bonnie was still nervous and said, "Have a seat while I go grab that bottle of wine."

Damon grabbed her elbow and said, "Before you do I brought flowers to show my appreciation for you allowing me in your home and a gift for your daughter for letting me intrude on your free time." He looked around and said, "Where is she, I would love to meet her."

Bonnie felt the guilt rise up and caused her face to flush and said, "She wasn't feeling well today at school so she is already in bed."

Damon handed her the bag and said, "Well then you can surprise her with this tomorrow morning when hopefully she is feeling better."

Bonnie took the bag and sat in on the table and said, "Thank you, she just indulged in too much candy she should be fine tomorrow, let me just grab the wine."

Bonnie walked into the kitchen as Damon sat down on the couch and something told Bonnie she wished she had something stronger than wine because she was going to need it.

Author's Note:

Thank you so much for the reviews and feedback. Someone thought the chapters were too short so I tried to make this one a little longer therefore it took me longer to update. Working on next chapter now-and planning on Damon meeting Izzie, but it will be a couple more chapters until he finds out she is. Hope the flashbacks and then present day is not annoying. Again thanks for the reviews and feedback or suggestions are welcome.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Bonnie returned with the wine and noticed that Damon had sat down in the middle of the sofa verses the end, she handed him his glass of wine and turned and sat down in the chair across from the sofa. Damon glanced at Bonnie and smirked letting her know he realized she was trying to keep her distance from him.

Bonnie met his gaze and said, "I've reassigned some of my current projects and while I was home tonight I've worked up some designs and ideas and we can go over them if you like."

Damon laughed and said, "Bonnie I didn't ask you if I could come over to discuss business. I want to find out about your life, we used to be best friends. I've missed you more than you know, and before you remind me of my promise to keep our relationship strictly business you knew the chances of me keeping that promise is like Stefan shaving his hero hair off."

Bonnie frowned and said "Fine Damon let's catch up, what do you want to know, I'm sorry I don't have any big news like an engagement to share with you."

Damon rubbed his hands over his face and said, "That's also why I wanted to talk to you outside the office. You deserve to know the truth about my so called engagement. I wanted to explain that I'm trying to do what you always said I should. Be my own man and stand up for what I want."

Bonnie heart sunk, "So I'm the reason you got engaged?"

Damon shook his head and in frustration said, "No my mother is the reason I'm engaged. The news of my engagement took me by surprise just like it did the rest of the world"

With a confused look on her face Bonnie looked at Damon and said, "Then I'm not quite sure I understand, you said that you are your own man and standing up for what you want, but yet you asked a woman to marry you because your mom wanted you too?"

Damon moved to the edge of the sofa and put his hands on his knees and said, "No that's what I'm trying to tell you. For the last year I started drawing again and putting together investors to initiate Urban Innovation in the New York area. I was going to present it to the board but I was still unsure if they would understand my vision. I decided to run my concept by someone who would see that I was serious and what a good opportunity this would be for Salvatore Holdings, so I discussed it with my grandmother and she loved the idea of improving the economic and social well- being of people so she recommended starting in a rural area instead of metropolitan or suburban area. I immediately thought of Mystic Falls so I hired contractors to start the building last year and often got input from Enzo and Tyler. Then last week when my mother arranged for the press to announce "an engagement" that was never real or most importantly I never made. I was furious and that was the last straw, so I informed my parents I was going to quit the company including resigning from the board. My father knew I was serious and had my grandmother talk to me and in order to let me and my mother cool off she arranged for me to relocate here to oversee the project. My father and the board signed off on it and I flew out here and approached Tyler and Enzo about partnering with me and you know the rest. My goal is that once they see how successful and profitable this is, the board will agree and back me on adding a Salvatore Building and Design to our holdings that I can head."

Bonnie still didn't understand how this involved her she looked down at her hands in her lap and said. "Damon other than work, I'm not sure how this involves me."

Damon then reached over and grabbed her hands and grabbed her chin forcing her to look him in the eyes and said, "Because Bonnie I realize that I never should have let you go, I should have fought for us."

Bonnie removed her hands and got up and walked to distance herself from Damon and said, "It took you eight years to realize that. I find it hard to believe that you stayed with someone that long and didn't develop feelings, or maybe you always had feelings for Felicia and I just didn't want to see it. Either way it doesn't matter I will not be dragged back into being your dirty little secret."

Damon sat back on the sofa and pushed his head onto the backrest and his blue eyes flashing with anger said, "Bonnie you were never a dirty secret to me, I was trying to protect you from my snobby, pretentious family. I was never trying to keep you a secret I was afraid that if you saw that except for my Grandmother and Stefan all my family cares about is a person's wealth and how to manipulate them for their own gain. You would have ran for the hills. You were such a breath of fresh air and genuine, hard-working and driven. You kept me on my toes but brought out the best in me. You gave me the strength to fight for my dreams. I'm just sorry I failed in fighting for one of my biggest dreams in having you by my side, both professionally and personally."

Bonnie turned to Damon and said, "Damon you dated another woman for eight years" She didn't mean to sound as emotional has it came out so she took a couple of deep breaths to maintain her detached attitude.

Damon nodded, with a grimace on his face he said, "After you left I lost the desire to give my heart to anyone else. I thought it would be easier to be alone, then Felicia just inserted herself into my life and at some point I just went with it. I'm not going to lie after I found out you were pregnant by someone else I was devastated and thought if you could move on with your life then so could I. At that point I gave in and tried to make it work with Felicia."

Bonnie froze at the mention of her being pregnant and not wanting to discuss the details of her pregnancy, "Okay so again what does any of this have to do with me now."

His blue eyes deepened with desire, "Everything. I want to get to know you again I also want to live the life I want not a life my mother wants or centered on my wealth or financial success. I'm hoping you will give me another chance to prove to you I've changed."

Bonnie looked at Damon, the man she had completely gave her heart to, the man she could no longer deny she had never gotten over. He was still exceptionally handsome, self-confident and cocky, but there was something different about him. While he was still dedicated to business he seemed lighter, less tense, more willing to communicate than just hide his feelings. There was definitely something different and while she couldn't quite put her finger on it, it did captivate and peak her attention. It was that feeling that scared Bonnie so she finished off her wine and said, "I'm sorry Damon but that isn't possible. I have a different life now and it's good and I, well to put it bluntly I don't have time or do romance or love anymore."

Bullshit, Damon wasn't buying it. "You are lying, you are afraid." He hadn't missed the wave of desire in her body or intake of breath each time they were around each other and how she made sure they didn't touch.

Bonnie picked up her glass and started walking toward her kitchen and said, "I know you hate the fact that you are being rejected and it would be better for you if I was lying, so you don't have to face that we were not meant to be. But I'm not lying. My life is full right now and I'm happy with how it's going."

Damon followed her to the kitchen and blocked her against the counter and said, "Is that right you are happy being alone?"

Bonnie ran a shaky hand thru her hair and wouldn't meet his eyes and said, "While I maybe single and not believe in fairytale love anymore, that doesn't mean I'm alone."

He lowered his head to look into her eyes and said, "Oh you have a lover now?" Damon was curious for her response since he knew from Stefan, Caroline as well as Enzo that she wasn't seeing anyone and to their knowledge hadn't been in a relationship since she returned to Mystic Falls. If she did have someone new he would just find a way to get rid of whoever it was at any cost.

Bonnie tried to push him back, and stuttered, "Not that it's any of your business, but at the moment I don't need a lover." Bonnie gasped and closed her eyes as she realized what she had just said.

Damon grinned and with a sexy whisper in her ear he said, "Oh which is it, self-sufficient or electronic assistance?"

Bonnie gasped and looked at him and said, "You are disgusting",

He moved closer and said, "I know". He moved to step forward and pulled her against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her waist and with two of his fingers he lifted her chin up as his lips descended down to hers. At first she didn't return his kisses and then he felt her hands around his neck. He first thought that when she didn't return his kiss he would pull back, but once she started returning his kisses he parted his lips and swept his tongue into her mouth. He lost all of his senses then. Every shred of will-power that he started with was quickly evaporating. He reached to pick her up, when he heard the words he had been dreading but knew where coming.

What was she doing? She needed to stop. Bonnie knew better. She knew that it was too soon, too fast. Yet while her mind knew that her body hadn't arrived at the same conclusion. As Damon's head reached underneath her shirt, she froze and uttered. "No, stop Damon we can't do this. I won't be the other woman." Bonnie pushed herself away from Damon and ran her hand across her mouth as to wipe away any evidence of what just occurred. She walked back into the living room headed for the door.

It took Damon a moment to get his body in check and he walked into the living room and stayed in the middle of the room refusing to follow Bonnie to the door as he couldn't leave until she understood she was not the other woman. "First off I want to apologize if I crossed any lines, my intentions when I asked to come over was clear the air. Second you are not the other woman, if anything anyone who is not you is basically just another woman to me."

Bonnie looked at Damon and said, "Answer me this question, does Felicia have a ring? "

Damon looked at her confused, "A ring, what do you mean does she have a ring?"

"Don't play me for a fool Damon, is Felicia wearing a ring on her left hand. I don't know maybe like an engagement ring, because I seem to remember a big sparkling ruby emerald ring on her hand when I saw the news on the television of your engagement?"

Damon looked ashamed as he closed his eyes and reopened them and sighed and said, "It was a ring my father gave to my mother that has been in my family for generations. It's given to the future matriarch of the family. You have to know I didn't give her that ring, it was given to her by my mother as an incentive to make the engagement official. "

"Right, so Felicia is just another woman to you. Don't you see Damon your life is already laid out before you? I have accepted that and moved on and made a good life for myself. I think it's time that you accept it and come to term with it and try and do the same. I think it's time you commit to Felicia and give her a chance, seriously it's been eight years it can't have been that bad or you would have ended it by now."

Damon frustrations were getting the better of him and one thing about Damon he had very little patience when things were not going his way. "Seriously you can just want me to settle for someone who my mother has handpicked to advance the family name financially and socially. I can never imagine or want you with anyone who is not me. I'm sorry that I have let this lie go on for so long, but unfortunately I'm not the one who left town, found someone else slept with them and had a baby. I was the one who was left thinking our relationship meant nothing. By the way do you have as much hatred for your Baby Daddy has you do me since he doesn't appear to be in the picture?"

Bonnie marched over to Damon and opened the door and without thinking said, "One and the same, so yes now get out."

Luckily the only thing Damon heard was the get out so he responded, "I'm sorry that was uncalled for, in my defense it just hurts to think that you are unwilling to fight for us or put forth any effort. But I know there are feelings still there I wasn't in that kitchen alone just now."

Bonnie had been holding her breathe in fear that Damon would realize what she revealed so she knew she had to calm down and let him think she would give them a chance. I accept your apology and I'm sorry if you think I didn't love you because I did. I loved you so much that I made the choice to let you go because I knew the pressure your parents placed on you in business and it wasn't fair that you would have to deal with that personally as well. As long as you stayed with Felicia I assumed that you were in love with her."

Damon had to find a way to get her past his relationship so he let out a deep sigh and he said, "You are right, it's unfair of me to pursue a relationship with you until I end the current one. I should have done that before coming here. I told you that I've changed and I'm ready to live my life and do what makes me happy, and that includes who I was to spend and share that life with. If you need proof and time to believe that I'll give you that."

Damon moved toward her again, but before there was a repeat of what occurred in the kitchen, they both heard a little voice, "Mommy where are you I need you."

Bonnie green orbs were wide open as she quickly said, "It's late and I need to check on my daughter, I will see you at work."

However Damon didn't move toward the door but looked back to the hallway and said, "No why don't you go check on her now and if there is a problem and you need to take her to the emergency room or need me to go get medicine I want to be here."

Fear that Izzie would get out of bed and come looking for her prompted Bonnie to open the door and say, "That's not necessary, she just had a stomach ache from eating too much candy. Bonnie came up with the quickest excuse she could think of and rushed out, also she is a very curious little girl and would have too many questions on who you are and why you were here so late."

Damon didn't move and remembered conquer the daughter win the mother. "I wonder where she gets that from, I would love to meet her, we can explain that we are old friends and will be working together and hopefully she will be seeing a lot more of me."

Bonnie had to think quickly, so she said "It's late and she probably just needs me to turn on her night light I forgot when I put her to bed. Besides if I get her up now it will be hard to get her back asleep and she has school tomorrow. "

Damon walked to the door, and standing out in the hallway turned back and grinned at Bonnie, he liked this Mommy bear side of Bonnie so he decided not to push it and said, "Okay I understand, but if you need anything please don't hesitate to call me, and I will rectify this concern you have over any other relationship you feel that is in our way."

Before Bonnie could shut the door, he reached down and brought her lips to his, but before he could deepen the kiss Bonnie heard little feet coming down the hallway so to satisfy Damon so he would leave she said, "We will see. "

As Damon looked at the closed door he thought to himself, "I guess I have no choice but to prove it to you then."

Bonnie turned around just as Izzie reached the living room with her bear Ms. Cuddles and said, "Mommy were you watching a scary movie, I heard loud voices?"

Bonnie picked her daughter up and carried her back towards her room and said, "Yes sweetheart and now Mommy is scared so can I lay down with you and Ms. Cuddles?"

Izzie wrapped her arms around Bonnie neck and laid her head on Bonnie's chest and said, "Mommy do you think I can get another Daddy so I can have someone to take me to the Daddy and Princess dance this year and you would have someone to save when you are scared from watching scary movies?"

This shook Bonnie to her core, Izzie had never asked or implied she missed having a father. She had several male influences in her life, including her uncle Stephen, Tyler, Matt, and even Bonnie's father when he made the time. Bonnie hoped that her decision to give up on love wasn't going to come back to have a negative effect on her daughter. "Well sweetheart I would have to meet someone I like first, it would have to be someone who you like more importantly and they would need to like us back and want to be a part of our family and that may take some time."

_Izzie already falling back to sleep said, "Well will you try Mommy, I can help and even wait if you promise to try?"_

_Bonnie hugging her daughter even closer said, "Yes baby, Mommy will try."_

The next morning as Bonnie waited for Izzie to get dressed she was on the phone with Elena who said, "So how's it going with Damon being back?"

Bonnie told Elena about what occurred last night and how Damon said he was going to end his relationship with Felicia and attempt to win her back.

Elena knew that Damon had arrived in town to work on a project and hired Lockwood and St. John along with Bonnie to head the project. She wasn't surprised that Damon's goal was to win Bonnie back, but she wanted to hear from Bonnie direct what her feelings were. "And you are feeling scared and guilty about Izzie right?"

Bonnie smiled and was amazed at how well her best friend knew her. "Yes."

"And you are still in love with him?"

"No absolutely not" Bonnie responded to quickly.

Elena laughed and said, "Well you answered one out of two correctly. Bonnie you can lie to yourself or keep thinking you have no feelings for Damon, but I know better. If you had no feelings for Damon you would have found someone else by now. You are a beautiful, talented, successful interior designer, and a tough single mom who has men falling over themselves to get your attention, however you use the excuse that you don't want the drama of dating because how it would affect Izzie. In truth I don't think you want a man that would replace Damon in your life or Izzie's even if she doesn't know him. Bonne you know how persistent Damon can be and if he came back for you, he's going to fight for you. "

Getting over the heartbreak of Damon moving on with Felicia while being pregnant had been the hardest thing she'd ever done and she wasn't eager to repeat that with a seven year old she was now responsible for. Bonnie sighed and said, "That's what he said, but how can I believe him when faced with the choice of being with me or keep up the lie of a pretend relationship he choose the pretend relationship that has now grown to an engagement."

Elena responded, "I understand your concerns and fear, but maybe he has changed. You are no longer that free spirited teenager who put everyone's problems ahead of her own. Just give him a chance to prove himself. "

"That's not what I wanted to hear, I need to be strong because it isn't just me that will be affected this time, think about it Elena. There is no chance that his mother will accept me, and I refuse to have her put down or shame my daughter. I don't want to put Damon in that position to have to choose between me and his daughter and his family."

The phone was silent and Bonnie almost thought they were disconnected until Elena said, "I can't deny there is the chance that could happen, but what about if once Damon finds out about Izzie that's the motivation he needs to put down his foot and live his own life or once his parents find out they have a grandchild it could make all the difference in the world."

Bonnie heard Izzie coming into the kitchen so she said, "It's not a chance I'm willing to take right now with my daughter's life. I have to get Izzie to school I'll talk to you later."

Damon was exhausted as he got into a taxi that would take him to his townhouse and then he still needed to go to his temporary office downtown to get an update on the project. It has been a long couple of days and he was anxious to see Bonnie. It had only been a couple of weeks since she was back in his life, but he missed her while he was away in New York. Although he didn't accomplish exactly what he wanted to and that was to end his relationship with Felicia, he did explain to her that he didn't blame her for leaking they were engaged to the press. She understood she needed to refuse to go along with anymore of his mother's antics on them getting married. It wasn't easy but he explained that his heart belonged to someone else. At first Felicia refused to accept it but once Damon threated to hold an interview with every entertainment and news organization in New York, and explain how they had been tricked into believing they were engaged and their relationship was based on financial reasons, she agreed as long as he promised to not reveal the truth to the press as it would not only embarrass her family, but his as well She requested time to act like the relationship just fell apart due to the pressure of being in a long distance relationship and trying to plan a wedding. He wasn't happy about not being able to announce to the press he was now single and could freely pursue Bonnie but he could finally breathe a sigh of relief and in the end he might finally get his happily ever after.

Damon walked into his townhome and after checking thru his mail, picked up his cellphone to call Bonnie he wanted to see if they could meet. He debated on if he should tell her about Felicia and for the time being they were not announcing a break up, but she was aware that Damon planned on pursuing Bonnie. Damon felt if he had any chance at winning Bonnie back he had to be honest with her so she would understand why they couldn't go public just yet. He knew that this is what caused problems last time so he was afraid of her response.

"This is Bonnie"

"Hi Bonnie, this is Damon I'm sorry I've been MIA the last couple of days, but I had something out of town I had to take care of. If you are free can we meet up?"

Bonnie had been in a funk the last couple of days, and she liked to think it was because of her conversation with her daughter a couple of days ago, but if she was honest she did miss Damon just a little. It was surprising since he had only recently came back into her life but whether she wanted to admit it or not his presence in her life did bring excitement and exhilaration whether they were fighting or not. Bonnie was debating on accepting when Damon said, "Bon are you still there? I promise I won't take up a lot of your time, I just really want to see you."

Bonnie remembering her promise to her daughter about trying said, "Yes I'm still here, what about going to dinner tonight? My daughter is spending the night with my dad so I'm actually free"

Damon smiled he couldn't believe it, he thought he would be lucky if she agreed to meet him for coffee. "Great I can pick you up at 7:00."

Bonnie didn't want to take the chance of a repeat performance of the other night as she hated to think about what would have happened if Izzie hadn't woke up, so for now she felt to be safe they needed to meet in public. If he picked her up he would have to bring her home and would see her to the door which would lead to him wanting to come inside. She came up with the excuse, "I have to drop Izzie off at my dad's anyway so why don't I just meet you at Bambino Italian Bistro downtown?"

Damon didn't want to push his luck so he said, "Okay I can't wait." He hung up the phone and hoped his luck didn't run out on him and she took the news that he wasn't officially able to announce he was single yet the wrong way. If his luck continued she might agree to accompany him to his mother's dinner as now that he had told Felicia he planned on pursing Bonnie he wanted his parents to know as well.

Author's Note:

So Sorry for the time to update, I wanted this up before last weekend, but added a little more to this chapter. Thank you so much for the reviews it encourages me to update quicker. If you have any suggestions on story lines let me know. I have ideas of what's going to happen, but I don't want the story to be too short so I need some fluff chapters. Again thanks for the reviews.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Bonnie grabbed Izzie's hand as they exited the plane and entered JFK airport. She checked her watch and it was just past 10 p.m. She was hoping with choosing a late flight that Izzie would sleep, but her daughter was so excited to be in New York that she had talked Bonnie's ear off about what she wanted to do and all the places her aunt Caroline promised to take her. Bonnie walked over to a row of chairs, and sat Izzie down to pull out her jacket from her carry-on and said, "Okay baby, we are going to get our luggage and hopefully find a cab to take us to the hotel."

Izzie frowned and said, "Mom I'm not a baby and why can't we stay with Aunt Caroline, she always takes me to ride the horses?"

Bonnie zipped up Izzie's jacket and said, "First of all I know you are not a baby in age, but as a term of endearment I will always call you my baby and second Aunt Caroline is in the middle of moving into her new house and we are here for Gigi and Papa anniversary party, so it will be more convenient with us being downtown in a hotel."

Izzie's eyes teared up as she looked at Bonnie with Damon's blue eyes and said, "I'm sorry for being mean, but do I have to eat the deer meat and if Aunt Caroline is moving what will happen with her horses Tinkerbell and Spitfire they won't be horsemeat will they?"

Bonnie laughed and hugged her daughter then got up and grabbed Izzie's hand and walked toward baggage claim and said, " No sweetheart endearment means a way of expressing love or affection, and don't worry the horses aren't going anywhere, only Aunt Caroline is moving. You remember her mom Elizabeth will still be there with the horses."

Izzie walked slowly behind Bonnie and Bonnie could tell that Izzie was adding endearment to her vocabulary so she would make sure to use it in the correct way in the future, once she felt she understood it's meaning she pulled her hand from Bonnie and crossed her little arms and mumbled, "Well I don't want to stay in a stupid hotel, why can't I stay with GiGi and Papa?"

Bonnie sighed and gathered her thoughts while she had a complicated relationship with her parents, it was a different story when it came to their only granddaughter. The word no was not in their vocabulary when it came to Izzie and along with Grams her grandmother they spoiled her every chance they got. Her mother Abby went overboard in making sure Izzie never felt like she was different or lacking because she didn't have a father, therefore she never missed the opportunity to make Bonnie feel guilty about not telling Damon she was pregnant. Her father was a different story, he didn't want the Salvatore's to know anything about Izzie as he felt they couldn't be trusted and would either turn their backs on Izzie or try and get custody of her. Her grandmother was a little more subtle as she always brought up breaking the Bennett generational curse of being a single mother. Grams often reminded her that while the Bennett's came from a long line of independent woman they also had the habit of not feeling they required to #1 be married before bringing a child into the world and #2 because of that Independence they didn't feel the need to have the traditional family unit with mother, father and children. Grams had hoped that the curse was broken when Abby and Rudy got married, even though they didn't get married until Bonnie was 4 and now were approaching their 25th anniversary. She had hopes that Bonnie would give Izzie the stable family environment that Bonnie was raised in. Bonnie wasn't up to the same arguments when she was around her parents and Grams, so staying with them was out of the question. As it was she was dreading the anniversary party and having to deal with not only her parents and grandmother but all of her nosy relatives who still asked about the identity of Izzie's father. Depending on which relative you asked some of the guesses had been one of Bonnie's college professors who was married and wouldn't leave his family, a musician who was on the road and didn't have time for a family or a rich playboy who realized having a black wife wouldn't be good for business, which wasn't far off from Damon. Bonnie grabbed Izzie's hand again and said "I thought it would be fun if we stayed in a hotel where we can have room service and breakfast in bed, there is a pool you can swim in, and we are going to a fancy party for Gigi and Papa so you get to wear your new dress."

Her stubborn daughter just like her dad was not willing to give up without a fight said, "I bet Grams would make me breakfast in bed, and plus I could work on my magic lessons."

Bonnie laughed because the last time they visited her parents her grandmother Sheila who taught Religious Studies at NYU had been working on a conference about the occult and witchcraft and her daughter became interested in spells so to divert her interest her grandmother took her to a David Copperfield show and now Izzie was fascinated with magic. "Izzie I promise to make sure you get to spend time with Grams, Gigi and Papa, and ride the horses, but we are only here 3 days that doesn't leave a lot of time for us to spend together. I thought this would be a girls weekend where we could get away from work and school and spend some time together aren't you excited about that?"

Izzie continue to pout and mumbled, "I see you every day, and it's been forever since I've rode the horses and you don't let me do any of the fun stuff like GiGi and Grams."

Bonnie grabbed their luggage and almost headed toward the rental companies to just get a rental and drive to the hotel, she knew it was past Izzie's bedtime and when she got sleepy she was either hyper trying to avoid going to sleep or cranky and by the pouting and whining coming from her daughter it looked like cranky it was. Bonnie then remembered how she hated New York traffic so she decided against the rental and proceeded toward the airport exit and just prayed they would be able to find a cab and get to the hotel before Izzie had a complete meltdown.

As they exited the airport and Bonnie began looking at the row of vehicles looking for a taxi she spotted a blonde woman running across the street waving her hands, "OMG Isabelle Bennett you have gotten so big, oh I've missed you so much".

As the women got closer Bonnie realized it was her best friend Caroline Salvatore. Izzie dropped her backpack and ran into Caroline's outstretched arms. "Auntie Caroline I've missed you to, do we get to go to your house?"

Bonnie reached down and picked up Izzie's backpack and walked over to Caroline who had picked up Izzie and said, "Caroline what are you doing here, I told you we were going to stay at a hotel?"

"Bonnie Bennett if you think for one minute I was going to let you stay at a hotel and miss out on time with my god daughter you were sorely mistaken, I cancelled that room as soon as I found out where you planned on staying."

"Caroline I don't want to inconvenience you, didn't you just get moved in and didn't you say that Stefan parents were planning a party tomorrow night?"

Caroline started walking back across the street with Izzie in her arms, so Bonnie had to run to catch up with them. As Caroline reached a white Range Rover she opened the back door and started buckling Izzie into the backseat and she turned to Bonnie and said, "Listen I know you are going crazy and you have to be nervous about Damon being back in the picture. I figure you need someone to talk to and plus Stefan is actually in LA until tomorrow so it will give us time to talk and plus I miss my god daughter."

Bonnie looked back at Izzie whose bright blue eyes were now darker showing just how tried and sleepy she was, "Okay Caroline pop the trunk and let's get this show on the road."

Caroline took Bonnie's bag and threw it into the trunk and screamed, "Yes we are going to have so much fun."

Bonnie got into the front seat and put on her seatbelt as Caroline got into the driver's seat and pulled away from the curb. Bonnie was looking out the window looking at the skyscrapers as Caroline drove toward the highway away from the city and Bonnie remembered the night Damon first told her he was in love with her. It was a Thursday night in September and it was still unseasonable warm and they had just left the office after a long day at work and instead of going home Damon had convinced her to catch a boat and view the New York skyline.

They were surrounded by tourist and other couples but to look at the two of them standing along the rear of the boat you would think they were the only ones on the boat as they were so wrapped into each other.

Bonnie was standing with her back to Damon's chest and he had his arms wrapped around her telling her stories of how when he was younger he and Stefan spent their summers on Martha Vineyard and he loved being on the water and how close they were. He told her that after he went off to college and started working at Salvatore Industries he wasn't able to spend time on the island and it also changed his relationship with Stefan since they both envied the other. Damon was the oldest son and expected to take over the company one day so he had a lot of pressure and responsibility. Stefan being the younger son had more freedom, but felt like an outsider because it was rare that he was included on business meetings and other than attending annual board meetings he was never consulted on company business. Damon was frustrated of the freedom Stefan had while Stefan was frustrated with the attention from their parents Damon had.

As Bonnie explained to Damon that it didn't have to be that way and how growing up as an only child with a father that was a police detective and mother who was a civil rights activist she often felt they cared more about work than her. She urged him to reach out to his brother as Stefan was one of her best friends and she knew he missed his brother.

Damon turned Bonnie around and rubbed his fingers down her cheek and said, "Actually I am in debt to Stefan because it's because of him that I found the love of my life."

Bonnie mossy green eyes filled with tears as she whispered, "What did you say?"

Damon grinned and as he bent down to capture her lips, "I love you Bonnie Bennett."

Hearing those words fueled the fire in me. As our kiss deepened I ran my fingers up the back of Damon's neck and then through the back of his hair. I pulled the top of my body as close as possible to his hard chest and I felt his hand skim over my backside as his lips left my mouth and began a journey down my neck. I knew if we didn't calm down I would let him take me right here on the deck in front of a boat filled with people.

I moaned, "Damon wait we need to get off this boat."

Damon grabbed my hands and started walking down the stairs and said, "The boat hasn't even started back yet, I can't wait that long."

We found a cabin downstairs that was empty and Damon turned me around and his lips met mine and without breaking the kiss he pushed me up against the wall and deepened the kiss as his hands traveled down to my thighs pushing my dress up to my chest as my hands reached down and unbuckled his pants. "Tell me you love me again I whispered."

Damon's reached over and locked the door and said, "You complete me, and if you need to hear it again I will never get tired of saying I love you."

I pushed his jacket from his shoulders as I wrapped my legs around him and kissed his neck and unbuttoned his shirt I groaned. "You feel so good."

Damon ripped my panties off with one pull and pushed his fingers inside of me and said, "Hush Baby we need to be quiet"

He moved his fingers in and out of me as we continued to kiss until we ran out of breath, he pulled his fingers out of me and put them in his mouth and I couldn't help but to let out a moan. I reached down to grab him and he was hard as a rock, he managed to get my dress off and proceeded to unfasten my bra and I pulled his shirt from his pants as he grabbed my legs and pushed me back up against the wall as he entered me. I gripped him tightly around the waist and began moving back and forth. My moans became louder as he continued to bounce me up and down his dick.

"God baby you are so wet and tight" he whispered in my ear.

I pulled back and looked him in the eyes, and while staring into his eyes that were now a dark blue I realized I was in love with him too. I started to moan as he moved us over to a desk in the room and I pushed him down so I was on top and continued to move up and down slowly, methodically as we continued to not be able to look away from each other. He grabbed me around my waist as he pushed harder and harder into me. I closed my eyes and heard him say, "Look at me baby I want to see your eyes when you come."

I felt my release coming. I touched his face as he rose up and started kissing down my chest until he grabbed one of my nipples and swirled his tongue around and around. I felt his penetration go deeper and deeper I felt him beginning to tremble inside of me and then he grabbed my butt to keep me inside of him as we reached our climax together and reached down and bit down on his lower lip and said, "Say it again"

Damon chuckled and pushed my wet hair from my forehead and kissed me back and said, "After that experience I think it's your turn."

I laughed and got off him and walked to gather my things and turned around and say him staring at me and so I bent down letting him get a good view of my ass and picked up my dress and said, "Uh you weren't so bad, I walked back over to him and kissed him and rubbed my nose to his nose and looked into his eyes, I think it's a given that I love you as well seeing I let you bring me down to a bottom of a boat for a quickie."

Damon got off the desk and grabbed his shirt and said, "Who said this was quickie, I see a long night ahead of us Bonnie Bennett."

"Bonnie are you listening to me." Caroline said as she pushed Bonnie in the shoulder.

"I'm sorry Caroline what did you say?"

"It's not important, what's going on with you. You've barely said ten words since we got into the truck."

Bonnie looked back to see that Izzie was asleep and said, "I've been thinking about the first time Damon told me he loved me. We were having a discussion about his relationship or lack of with Stefan and I encouraged him to reach out to Stefan. I know they are closer now and it's inevitable that Damon is going to find out about Izzie so I plan on telling him once I return to Mystic Falls. I'm just afraid of what the repercussions it will have on not only my relationship with Stefan, but your and Stefan's relationship."

Caroline glanced over at Bonnie and grabbed her hand and said, "What's changed your mind about Damon knowing he has a child. What's been going on since he's been in Mystic Falls as he met Izzie?"

Bonnie shook her head and replied, "No but he's asked about her and wanted to meet her and he even brought her the cutest little Crayola design and tracing set when she wasn't feeling well."

"Well that's nice and everything but telling him about a child you had eight years ago and kept from him is a hell of a lot of difference than introducing him to a child he thinks you had on the rebound. Forget about the fallout with Stephen and you and even me and Stefan, have you thought about not just Damon's reaction but dear old Grand mom Lily's reaction?"

"Yes I'm afraid of what Damon will do, but I can't let that fear stop me from something that might benefit my daughter. Tonight on the plane she was so excited about seeing you, my parents and Gram. She is having trouble adjusting to her new school and classmates and she is missing having people who love and support her and here I am keeping another side of the family from her."

They pulled up to the driveway and Caroline turned the car off and said, "It's not that I'm advocating you not telling Damon, but girl his family is a piece of work. No one knows that better than me since I'm married to a Salvatore, I just don't want to see a big fight over Izzie or even worse Lily rejecting her, if she is already having problems with the kids at school she doesn't need Lily monster on top of that."

"That's what I've used to think to justify not contacting Damon once Izzie was born, but I've always prided myself on putting my daughter first and now that she has been asking about a father, and even made me promise to start dating, I feel I need to tell Damon and give him a chance to have a relationship with his daughter. If he is not willing to put Izzie first then I'll make sure he is not a part of her life. I refuse to have him only be a part of her life when it is convenient for him or as long has his mother gives her blessing."

Caroline reached over and gave Bonnie a hug and said, "I will support you no matter what, now what is this about Izzie classmates giving her a hard time. Do I need to make a visit to Mystic Falls and her school? I'm not above terrorizing a 3rd grader."

Bonnie opened the door to get Izzie out and said, "Don't let Izzie hear you say that or she might take you up on it."

After Bonnie had put Izzie to bed she joined Caroline on a tour of the house that eventually ended with them on the patio overlooking a lake sharing a bottle of wine. Caroline took a big gulp of her wine before refilling her glass and looked at Bonnie and said, "There something I need to tell you, and I hope it gives you some peace of mind, but I also don't want it to influence your decision on what to do about Damon and Izzie."

Bonnie laughed and she said, "Caroline slow down what is it?"

"Well you know how you said that you were afraid of what repercussion it would have on my and Stefan relationship and Damon and Stefan relationship when he finds out about Izzie?"

Bonnie looked at Caroline and she felt her stomach drop like she had just went down the embankment on a roller coaster, "Yes that's been something that has always tormented me."

Caroline took another gulp of her wine and blurted out, "It's not really a secret between me and Stefan."

Bonnie screamed, "What when did you tell him, what did he say is he going to tell Damon?"

Caroline grabbed by hands and said, "Calm down Bon, I really didn't tell Stefan or better yet I didn't keep it from him. He has known from the beginning. He never believed that you would go off and have a one night stand when you left New York. He was very angry and upset with Damon when he let you leave and didn't follow you and try and get you back. He has always felt protective of you and since he was the one who recommended and talked you into working for Damon he felt responsible that your heart got broken. It didn't help that as soon as you were gone that Damon took up with Felicia so needless to say Stefan hasn't made any effort to divulge your secret. It's not something we have discussed at length but I know first-hand how mad Stefan was and felt that Damon not only betrayed you but him as well."

Bonnie got up and started pacing, "I never blamed Stefan for talking me into working for Damon. I've always felt so afraid that he would be caught in the middle if I told him the truth about Izzie's father. You don't know the guilt I have over not letting him be a true uncle to Izzie. I know she has Tyler and Matt, but I know how Stefan always watched out for me when we were younger and he would do the same if not more for Izzie but I knew that if Damon ever found out he was Izzie's father and Stefan helped raise her he and his parents would never forgive Stefan. How does Stefan not hate me for the position I put him in?"

"No Bonnie it's just the opposite Stefan feels he is protecting you, he knows his family and like you he doesn't trust that Damon would do the right thing and put you and Izzie over what his Mom or the board tells him. I didn't tell you this to make you feel guilty or so you would tell Damon. I felt you needed to know this so you can make the decision on if you tell Damon based on what's best for both you and Izzie. If you don't completely trust Damon to do what's best for Izzie then I know I'm willing to help you in anyway, and while I haven't talked to Stefan I can bet he would agree."

Bonnie went over and gave Caroline a big hug and said, "I don't know what I did to deserve you and Stefan but I am beyond grateful."

Caroline hugged her back and laughed and said, "Oh you know that's just how we roll and it's not one sided, I can't even begin to count the number of times you have been there with me when my parents divorced, and all the time me and Stefan broke up and got back together in college. We may not be blood but we are family."

After indulging in more wine and a dip in the hot tub Bonnie showered and got ready for bed. Caroline had given Izzie her own room that she designed with a princess theme complete with a chandelier, hanging chair, an shaggy rug which was very different from the artistic room she had at home. Bonnie wouldn't be surprised if Izzie woke up in the middle of the night and become uncomfortable with everything in the room and make her way to the room Bonnie was using.

Bonnie hadn't been in bed very long when her phone rang, thinking it was one of her parents or Grams complaining she hadn't come by with Izzie, she answered the phone without looking at the caller ID and said, "It was late getting in and Izzie was tired and not in a good mood, I've already put her to bed, I will bring her by tomorrow before the party."

"Well Bon Bon if I say I'm tired will you come put me to bed?" Damon responded in a husky voice.

"Damon, I thought you were my parents, what are you calling so late?"

"Is it embarrassing to admit that I missed you?" Damon responding just as husky.

I laughed and said, "It's been less than 24 hours since you last saw me, and I haven't been gone long enough for you to miss me."

"Oh I disagree Bon, it's been 7 years and now that I have you back, I can't go a weekend without seeing that judging little face of yours."

I have to admit hearing Damon say that he missed me started to warm my heart, but I wasn't going to let him know that, "Well Damon it's been very hard on me. Seeing you again after all these years and then to find out you are getting married hasn't been easy on me. Don't get ahead of yourself just yet, until the world knows you are a free man and not engaged we are still just co-workers I'm not the type to be someone's side piece or a homewrecker."

Damon voice got lower and he said, I'm sorry, I know I messed up royally, I'm doing everything I can to be the man you want and the man you deserve, and it will happen and when it does happen you won't have any more excuses, so tell me Bonnie when I announce I'm not or never been engaged what will we be then?"

Before I could answer I was saved by Izzie walking into the room, carrying her bear Ms. Cuddles and saying, "Momma I woke up and Ms. Cuddles wasn't happy, I think she needs you."

Bonnie moved the blanket back and said, "Come on in baby."

Izzie crawled up and got in bed with Bonnie and said, "Remember Mom I'm not a baby, it's Ms. Cuddles who is not used to Auntie Caroline room for me."

Damon laughed and said, "Precocious isn't she? I haven't met her yet, but I already like she keeps you on your toes."

"Yes sometimes she is 7 going on 15, and I want to slow time down and keep my little baby that used to follow me around and thing I hung the moon, but my little baby is a now a little girl and already showing signs of a strong Bennett woman." Bonnie squeezed Izzie and kissed her on her forehead.

Izzie opened her blue eyes and said, "Momma who are you talking to?"

Bonnie paused and looked down at her daughter and instead of feeling nervous or scared she felt a sense of peace. She and Izzie bundled in bed with Damon on the phone felt like the family she always wanted but was afraid to wish for. Bonnie looked into eyes that was so similar to Damon's and said, "It's my friend Damon who brought you the Crayola Tracing Pad when you were sick."

Izzie loved the gift and hadn't stopped drawing on it since she got it. "Can I tell him Thank you Momma?"

Bonnie heart stopped, "Sure sweetheart, before she handed Izzie the phone she said, Damon Izzie would like to thank you for your gift."

"Hi this is Isabelle Bennett, thank you for the tracing pad I love it, did you know I like to draw?"

Damon for some reason he couldn't explain was very nervous and wanted to make a good impression on Bonnie's daughter. "You are very welcome, Isabelle, and no I didn't know that you liked to draw, but I love to draw too in fact I want to be an architect so I know your mom is a wonderful designer so I thought you might like to practice so I thought you would like something you can practice drawing and design."

Izzie replied, "I haven't decided what I want to be yet, I think I like to design things like my mom, but I like to cook, ride horses, magic and dance too, but then I like science so I don't know what I want to be yet."

Damon laughed and said, "Well I think you have awhile to figure it out, look at me, I'm still trying to be an architect."

You could see the wheels turning in Izzie little head as she paused then said, "Will your mom not let you be an architect, my mom tells me I can be anything I want to be, I just have to work hard?"

Damon replied, "You know Isabelle, you are a very smart little girl, you are right my mom doesn't want me to be an architect she wants me to be a businessman, you are a very lucky girl to have such an understanding mom."

Izzie yawned and said, "I know, do you want her to talk to your mom?"

Damon laughed and said, "Well I'm hoping that with working with your mom, she will see what a good team we are and see how good I am at being an architect"

Izzie then asked, "Me and my mom are a team are you on our team?"

Damon asked, "I would love to be on your team, do we need a team name?"

Before Izzie could respond Bonnie interrupted and told Izzie to tell Damon goodnight as it was well past her bedtime, "I'm sorry but I have to go now because it's passed my bedtime, so I can't work on our team name now, but if you call me tomorrow we can."

Damon said "I would like that very much Isabelle"

Before Izzie handed the phone back to Bonnie she shyly said, "You can call me Izzie because we are on a team now."

"Well goodnight Izzie, have sweet dreams." Damon heard her hand the phone back to Bonnie and waited for Bonnie to say something.

"Well it's getting late Damon, I will see you when I get back."

Before Damon hung up he said, "I promised Izzie I would call her tomorrow, and for some reason I can't explain, she is somebody whose promise I never want to break, so I'll talk to you tomorrow. Goodnight Bonnie, dream about me."

A/N

So Sorry for the long wait, I wanted to have interaction with both Damon and Bonnie (sexy time) and Damon and Izzie but not ready for them to meet yet, I also felt I needed to add a chapter to clarify some things regarding if Stefan knows that Damon is Izzie father. I want the story to center on Damon, Bonnie and Izzie and if there ware issues with both Stefan and Caroline and Stefan and Damon it would take away from story. That is not to say that Damon and Stefan won't have problems but I didn't want to have a trust issue between Stefan and Caroline.

It looks like Damon and Izzie are going to meet sooner rather than later, but I haven't decided if when he meets her if he will know she is his daughter or if I should wait. I'm leaning toward waiting because I want him to have developed a relationship with her so its more of a blessing or wish come true for both of them. What do you think?

I'm hoping to have the next chapter up in a couple of weeks.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Bonnie finished with her make-up and walked to the closet to grab her evening gown, she had just stepped into her gown when there was a knock at her door and she heard, "Bonnie me and Stefan are getting ready to head out to his parents' house for their lame ass party."

Bonnie responded, "Caroline do you have a moment to come in and give me a second opinion on my dress?"

Caroline opened the door and walked into the room and saw Bonnie standing in front of the mirror in a stunning evening gown. The silver dress had a fitted bodice with a plunging sweetheart neckline and beaded spaghetti straps that crisscrossed around the open back. The dress consisted of intricate metallic beadwork throughout the gown, and finished with a beaded waistband and sweeping train. "That dress looks amazing on you, every woman in that ballroom is going to hate you when the men can't take their eyes off you. Hell, what am I talking about there will probably be women who can't take their eyes off you."

Bonnie laughed and said, "Thank you for that, but I'm not trying to make women jealous, or impress a man or woman, I'm just following the dress code of formal and black and silver."

"No of course not Bon, we both know that you only have eyes for Damon Salvatore, I'm pretty sure he is going to be disappointed he is going to miss you in that dress." Caroline smirked as she joined Bonnie in the mirror.

Caroline looked radiant in her red pleated halter style dress that also had a plunging neck line and sparkling red rhinestone accented the waist and it was in a daring high low style full skirt of shredded chiffon layers. "Speaking of making other women jealous Caroline you looking stunning in that dress." Bonnie smiled looking up at Caroline.

"Caroline put her hands on her hips and turned around and looked at Bonnie and said, "Just stunning, I was going for sexy, seductive, ravishing, or provocative. My evening won't be complete unless Lily gasps when I walk in the door because I haven't followed her dress code of old and boring."

Bonnie laughed and said, "Of course you are sexy, I forgot how a formal dinner means wear a glamourous, hot party dress to you."

Caroline walked over and helped Bonnie put on a necklace and said, "You don't know how bad I wish we were going to the Broad Street Ballroom with you to celebrate your parent's anniversary. In fact, I don't know what I wish more that you didn't have plans and I could take you as my plus one so Lily and Felicia can see you in that dress, or that I and Stefan could ditch and come party with you."

Bonnie frowned and said, "I have to say when Damon told me that Felicia demanded to be his date or plus one tonight it made me realize that every time, we take a step forward something happens and it's like we take 3 steps backwards. He did try and reassure me that this would be the last time Felicia and his mother tried to manipulate him" Bonnie grabbed her Christian Louboutin see through red sole sandals and sat down on the bed as Caroline sat down beside her.

Caroline didn't say anything for a minute and then she looked over at Bonnie and said, "Is the fact that Damon hasn't broken off is fake engagement to Felicia changed your mind about telling him about Izzie?"

Bonnie smiled and said, "Caroline the last two days have been so wonderful, the night that we got here Damon called me and as we were talking on the phone Izzie walked in and ended up talking to Damon and he was telling her about Lily not wanting him to be an architect and she told him about all her interests and how I support her and that we could support him and we could be a team and when he told her he loved that idea, she decided we needed a team name. Since it was way past her bed time and she was getting sleepy he promised to call her back in a couple of days to give her time to think of a team name. He actually has called her several times since that night and even though she has hasn't met him yet she can't wait for his call each day. Together they came up with a team name of BID for Bonnie Izzie and Damon."

Caroline replied, "It sounds like they formed quite the friendship, I have to say I'm impressed who knew Damon could get along with a child so well. It's probably because most of the time he still behaves like a child. Have you thought about how Izzie is going to react to someone she already has already formed a friendship with being her dad?"

Bonnie sighed and started fiddling with her hands and looked over at Caroline and said, "I've thought about it a lot the last couple of days. It's weird but with the question she asks and the conversations they have its like she sees him more than one of my co-workers or an uncle like Stefan, Matt, or Tyler. I also see what effort he is making to accept a child that he believes is not his so I want them both to know, but part of being a good father is putting that child first and when he pulls a stunt like agreeing with Lily to take Felicia to this dinner party it supports my belief that he is still not able to stand up to his parents and apparently that includes Felicia. If they were to fight him on us being a family and he still can't fully commit to possibly being cut off, it almost killed me to walk away last time, but when I found out I was pregnant with Izzie I had someone else I had to be strong for. Now there is Izzie to think about and she is too young to have to wonder why one side of her family doesn't accept her and why her dad is not welcome by his own family. Plus, I just don't know if it's the right time to bring up what is sure to be drama and life altering while I'm supposed to be here celebrating my parent's anniversary, this is supposed to be a happy occasion."

Caroline replied, "You have some valid points and if you believe that Damon wouldn't have Izzie best interest as a priority then I agree with you not telling him, but I think you may be making a mistake by letting them get to know each other. How long do you think you can keep them from meeting each other and even if Damon doesn't figure out she is his by looking at her they have some of the same personality traits like they are both compassionate, talented, protective, stubborn, I mean when I come to think of it, even though she has your intellect and is your mini me, except for having Damon's eyes she is basically a little Damon but with all of his good qualities."

"Well thank you Dr. Phil, that's not exactly what I wanted to hear, I have never regretted not telling Damon I discovered I was pregnant after we broke up. I also never believed that Izzie missed out on having a father, because she has a lot of wonderful male influences in her life. I admit that after witnessing the instant connection she has with Damon he could be a great father, but is that because he has changed because back then we both know he wasn't ready to disappoint his parents and his solution would have been to keep us a secret. While I would never lower myself to be a kept woman or a dirty secret, had I told him I was pregnant and stayed it would have been easier to keep us a secret when Izzie was a baby, but now she is older she would have questions and not understand why one side of her family didn't accept us, and I refuse to let her feel that kind of rejection" Bonnie replied not pleased with Caroline's point of view.

There was a knock on the door, and then Stefan said, "Caroline we need to leave now if we want to make it before the first course is served."

Caroline walked over and gave Bonnie a hug and said, "I'm sorry just ignore me, I wasn't trying to make you feel guilty you know how much I love Izzie and I have your back no matter what you decide or what happens."

Bonnie hugged Caroline back and said, "No I'm sorry for blowing up at you, the pressure is just getting to me about when is the right time and way to tell Damon, I know in my heart he needs to know, not just for his sake but for Izzie's too and I've been using the excuse of determining the best time. Well no more excuses, no more if he keeps this promise or acts a certain way, I'll tell him. This is it, the next time I hear from him I'm going to let him know we need to talk and hopefully if all goes well the next stop will be to introduce him to Izzie."

Caroline looked at Bonnie and said, "Are you sure?" Just as Stefan opened the door and said, "Is everything okay in here?"

Bonnie took a deep breath and said, "Not at this moment, but hopefully it will be.

As Caroline walked over to Stefan she looked back at Bonnie and said, "I promise if it doesn't go how you hope, I have your back and you have my full support."

Stefan looked at the two women and then said, "I'm not sure what's going on, but what ever it is, whatever you need I'm here."

Bonnie smiled and said, "Thank you Stefan, now you two get out of here and go have a good time. If your dinner party gets boring or Caroline gets you kicked out, you can always stop by the ballroom and keep me company."

Stefan laughed and said, "Please don't give my wife any ideas."

Bonnie grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and headed back to her table as she glanced at Izzie sneaking cookies from the buffet table with her cousins. You would think that with the all the food the kids had eaten at the separate food and drink station that was setup specifically for the younger attendees she would be stuffed. Bonnie also knew her grandmother had snuck Izzie a second piece of the vanilla buttermilk cake with raspberries and orange cream-cheese frosting and since Bonnie didn't want another episode of the stomach ache when Izzie ate too much chocolate, she knew it was time to cut off any additional food or drink.

Bonnie sat her glass of champagne down and went to go look for Izzie who was now at the buffet table getting carrots off the vegetable and salad area. "Isabelle Bennett put those carrots down you have had enough to eat, and you don't even like carrots."

Izzie jumped and dropped the carrots when she heard her mom call her name. She turned around as Bonnie approached her and said, "But mom I'm not going to eat the food now, I getting it to take with me."

Bonnie took Izzie's hand and walked her back to the table and said, "Izzie I'm sure all the left-over food will be boxed up and taken back to your grandparents house and you can have some tomorrow, it's too late for you to eat anything else tonight."

They sat back down at their seats and Bonnie's cousin Lucy was at the table with her 2 daughters with one being a year older than Izzie and the other a year younger and they all got along great. Lucy husband Brady was listening to Cassie their oldest daughter explain why she had a napkin full of carrots. Izzie looked up at Bonnie and said, "She got the carrots for me Uncle Brady." Even through technically Lucy was Bonnie's cousin Izzie referred to Lucy and Brady as her aunt and uncle.

Bonnie looked at Izzie and said, "Izzie why are you collecting so much food?"

"Well tomorrow when Mr. Damon calls me, I was going to invite him to go see Aunt Caroline's horses with me, and I usually give them apples but I learned that can cause colic and I don't want the horses to be sick, so I researched and learned that carrots would be better. I also got some cookies and a piece of cake for Mr. Damon because they were so good and he said he was sorry he couldn't come and then we talked about me taking cooking classes so I wanted to show him what kind of cake I want to make."

Lucy looked at Bonnie and Izzie and started laughing and said, "Izzie where is all this food?"

Izzie getting frustrated with this conversation sighed and looked over at Lucy and said, "I told my Grams what I wanted to do and she said she would make me a doggie bag, even though I told her it was for Mr. Damon and the horses so now I have to get more food for a dog. Mom does Grams have a dog?"

Bonnie smiled at Izzie and said, "No honey a doggie bag is just what they call a bag people use to take leftover food home from a restaurant or party."

Izzie shrugged her little shoulders and said, "Well why do they call it doggie bag when I went to my friend Summer's birthday party, they gave us goodie bags to take home. Why don't adults get goodie bags to take home?"

Bonnie kissed Izzie on her cheek and explained to her that doggie bags and goodie bags were basically the same, but when adults wanted to take food home, they would often use the excuse they were taking it to their dog, that's where the name doggie bag started. She could see Izzie nodding her head and saving this description to her memory. Bonnie wiped her lipstick off Izzie's cheek and told her to go get her doggie bag as it was time for them to get ready to go home.

Brady offered to take Izzie and Cassie to find grams so they could get their bags. As soon as he had walked away from the table, Lucy looked at Bonnie and said, "So Damon is back?"

Bonnie not wanting to talk about it in case Izzie came back simply replied. "Yes."

Lucy smirked and said, "After all this time I really thought you would have moved onto someone who is …."

Bonnie rolled her eyes and said, "What someone who is black?"

Lucy laughed and said, "No someone who is stronger, I mean the reason you said it wouldn't work for you two is because he was weak. If I recall you said that although he was kind, handsome and very charismatic and had brilliant ideas for business, he wasn't strong enough to be in a committed relationship that his parents were not supportive of"

Bonnie looked back to make sure Izzie wasn't headed back to the table and said, "First of all I never said he was weak, I said that he was passive when it came to dealing with his mother. Second, he came back to find me to prove he has changed, I didn't go looking for him nor was I waiting for him."

Lucy asked, "So has he changed?"

Bonnie remembering her conversation with Caroline earlier this evening and not wanting to go down that road again simply replied, "Yes he has branched off and started a design firm and is working with Lockwood and St. John on a new high-rise downtown."

Lucy sighed, "So he took a job so he could be near you, let me guess he manipulated a situation so he could work with you and try and get you back?"

Bonnie was shocked how well Lucy knew the situation, so wanting to avoid another discussion on her love life, she responded, "He has mentioned it but I'm being cautious because the last time he had a choice, he didn't choose me and besides there are some things he still has to work out."

Lucy rolled her eyes and said, "Things like a fiancée and a bitter pretentious mother?"

Bonnie answered, "Lucy it's a long story and I really don't want to discuss it here."

Lucy crossed her arms over her chest and said, "Tell me is he still sexy and charming in a dangerous sort of way?"

Though it pained her to admit it she replied, "If possible, he's sexier and he is now more mature and self-assured that makes him even more dangerous."

Lucy looked closely at Bonnie and said, "You have never stopped loving him, have you?"

"This isn't what this is about." Bonnie answered rather quickly.

Mm yeah okay said Lucy, sarcasm coming thru every syllable. "I think you are lying to yourself. Well I can only assume he still doesn't know about Izzie since she didn't mention anything about having a new daddy. Which of course means that you now feel guilty that you never told him and he has missed out on seeing what an amazing little girl she has become."

Again Bonnie was surprised at just how well her cousin knew her, but if she really thought about it, Lucy was her go to person when she first found out she was pregnant as she felt Caroline and Elena were too close to the situation and she didn't want them to have to choose sides. "Yes, and it's beginning to really take a toll on me."

Lucy got up and went to stand by Bonnie and said, "Don't be so hard on yourself, I agree and understand of why you didn't tell him back then, but if he's back and ready to commit then he deserves to know. However, if he is not willing to commit to you and Izzie and put you first, then continue to protect your daughter."

Bonnie didn't respond for a moment and then said, "I have to believe that maybe people do change, I'm no longer the shy romantic who put everyone's needs before my own and Damon appears to more assertive and prepared to be independent from his family. "

Lucy laughed and said, "Well my only advice for you is to make sure you tell him about Lizzie before you sleep with him, because something tells me that once you have a taste of that again it's not something you are going to want to lose right away and we both know the last time you had any was when Lizzie was conceived."

Bonnie turned around to make sure no one had heard Lucy before she angrily replied, "Really Lucy, that's your advice. Not that it's any of your business but I've been avoiding him other than for work, my only concern is his relationship with our daughter, not trying to get him into my bed."

Before Bonnie could respond her cellphone buzzed and she picked it up from the table and saw a text message from Damon, "I sure hope your evening was better than mine, not even indulging in top shelf bourbon made mine any easier."

Bonnie took this as a sign and felt there was no time better than the present, "Well how about meeting me for a cup of coffee or a night cap would that make your night better?"

No sooner than Bonnie had hit send she had a reply. "Are we talking coffee, coffee, like mixing my cream with your coffee or actual cup of coffee and night cap?"

"Wow Casanova I just meant have a drink, we need to talk." Bonnie replied.

Damon responded, "Ok when and where?"

Bonnie looked over at Lucy and said, "Would you mind if Izzie went home with you and your girls, I have a meeting."

Lucy laughed and said, "Sure but I'm guessing you were texting Damon so is it a meeting or booty call?"

Before answering her Bonnie, texted Damon back and said, "I'm downtown can you meet me at the Five and Dime on Park Place in 15 minutes."

Bonnie looked up at Lucy and said, "Yes I was texting Damon, but I think telling him he is a father will prevent any chance of a booty call."

She looked down at her phone and Damon said, "On my way."

Lucy gathered her purse as the girls approached the table, and Bonnie kneeled down and told Izzie she had to make a stop on her way home so she was going to let her go home with Lucy and Brady. Izzie was excited to be able to continue playing with her cousins, but she did ask Bonnie, "You will come and pick me up won't you because I want to make sure I'm with you if Mr. Damon calls so I can invite him to go ride the horses with me, and I have to make sure Ms. Cuddles is sleeping."

Bonnie kissed Izzie and said, "Yes no matter what I'll be by to pick you up."

Lucy took Izzie's hand and said, "Did you know that I have the brother to Ms. Cuddles is name is Poindexter, I bet he would love to meet you."

Izzie said, "Mom did you hear that, Ms. Cuddles has a brother, maybe after we find you a daddy, I can have a brother."

Bonnie was speechless so Lucy took the opportunity to whisper in Bonnie's ear, "If your meeting is successful that may happen quicker than you think."

Bonnie walked into the Five and Dime and sat down at a table in the back of the café, she had chosen the Five and Dime because it was close to the ballroom and she would get there first and have time to think of what she was going to say, and in addition to being a coffee shop it also had a small bar serving delicious cocktails and Bonnie knew she was going to need some liquid courage. It was small and cozy and would give them a little privacy.

Bonnie was so deep in thought about the best way to tell Damon that she was startled when the waitress appeared at the table with her Moscow mule. Bonnie smiled and thanked the waitress just as the door opened and Damon walked in. He looked around and saw Bonnie and started walking to the back.

He looked so handsome in his black slim fit Hugo Boss suit with a white and black dotted dress shirt. He looked tired and Bonnie was second guessing herself about telling him when he already appeared stressed. She knew Damon had a temper and could be dangerous and demonstrative and hated to think of what he would do.

Damon walked to the table and sat down and looked at Bonnie's Moscow mule and smirked and said, "I see you started without me Bon"

Bonnie took a sip of her drink and grinned and said, "Well your text message indicated that you had already indulged in several glasses of bourbon, and since I only had maybe a glass and half of champagne, I thought I might need to catch up."

Damon looked over to the customers seated at the bar and he seemed to look a little longer at a couple at the end of the bar. He turned back to Bonnie and said, "So tell me Bonnie based on this conversation do I need to order coffee or am I going to need more bourbon?"

Before Bonnie could answer the waitress arrived back at the table and as soon as she looked down at Damon's face she smiled and pushed out here chest and licked her lips and said, "How can I be of service to you tonight?"

Bonnie rolled her eyes and because she was used to women reacting this way when they saw Damon especially when he was wearing an expensive suit, she sat back crossed her legs and waited for the seduction show to end. Damon surprised her however, when he said, "I've had a very long night, and the only thing that will make it better and end positive is if my date hurries and finishes her drink so we can get out of here, so I'm fine thank you."

The waitress turned around to walk off and then stopped and looked at Damon and said, "If you change your mind, my name is Bridgett just come look for me."

Bonnie laughed and said, "Tell me and be honest Damon does that ever get old?"

Damon looked at Bonnie with a twinkle in his eyes and said, "It gets old when it's not the right person, but you see it doesn't work on everybody so I've got to keep perfecting my game."

Unfortunately, Bonnie didn't see the humor in his answer, "Is that the reason you came to Mystic Falls because I didn't submit and agree to be your dirty little secret. Is this all just a game to you?"

Damon ran his fingers thru his hair and said, "No this is not a game, and I never asked you to keep our relationship hidden, you seem to think that I didn't want my parents or colleagues to know about you. I could care less what they thought about us, nor did I need their approval on my personal life. I didn't like being around them unless it was business so why would I subject you to them. What I did do was try and protect you from their elitist and pretentious attitudes. I didn't want you to think I behaved the same way and would regret being with me. All I did was ask you for more time, and speaking of time it sure took you no time to move onto someone else."

Bonnie should have been moved by his words, but all she heard was moving onto someone else, and in her mind she knew that wasn't true and should have realized that because of Izzie he thought she immediately slept with someone else, however remembering that Damon was just at a dinner party with Felicia that is where her mind went. "Well it took me longer than it took you to move onto Felicia, unless you were seeing her the entire time we were dating."

Damon's eyes were no longer focused on her but the couple who was at the end of the bar and now approaching their table. Bonnie turned around and saw a man with salt and pepper hair and very distinguished, with a much younger attractive woman on his arm. The woman had long red hair, size 2 figure that complimented her breast implants, and what looked like either a butt lift or injections. The woman looked over at Bonnie and then back at Damon and said, "Hello Damon I thought we saw you walk in, what has you downtown so late, I thought Felicia said you were only in town to attend a dinner party."

Damon frowned and totally ignoring her question looked to the what Bonnie assumed to be husband of the trophy wife and said, "Bradford I hear the stocks on your communication company are not doing well."

Bonnie could tell that Damon had brought up a topic neither Bradford or his trophy wife wanted to discuss. It was extremely quite at the table especially compared to the noise in the rest of the coffee shop and bar. Bradford cleared his throat and said, "It's true we had a rough 2nd quarter but I'm looking for investors and relocating the home office from New York since any decent building space is expensive, that along with some other changes I'm sure everything will be okay."

Damon with a threatening tone and staring at the trophy wife said, "Did you know Bradford that I'm developing an office complex in Mystic Falls and what better place for a home office. I'm happy to hear you are looking for investors because who has the time for a hostile takeover, when I can just by your company outright. Pity I don't think joining with investors will work for me, I've been told I have a problem with sharing because I like being in control."

Bradford seemed to understand Damon's threat and cleared his throat and said, "Well it's getting late and we should be heading out since our car is waiting for us."

Trophy wife on the other hand either underestimated the power of the Salvatore family or was clueless because before she walked off with her husband she looked over at Bonnie and said, "Speaking of sharing, the Felicia I know doesn't like sharing either."

Bonnie had been quiet up to know as she didn't want to draw anymore attention to herself but hell no was, she going to made to feel like she was doing something wrong. "Excuse me I don't know what you think is going on, but I can promise you I would never allow myself to share any man." Bonnie glared over at Damon and picked up her glass and gulped down the rest of her drink and stood up prepared to leave. She realized it had been a mistake to meet Damon in such a public place and realized this evening was not ending how she planned.

Damon also stood up and reached in his pocket and pulled out some cash and thru it down on the table and grabbed Bonnie's arm to stop her from walking off and looked up at trophy wife and said, "Not that its any of your business Karlie but Felicia and I are no longer together. Our relationship should never have lasted as long as it did, her faking an engagement was the last straw. The purpose of the dinner party was my opportunity to tell our families we are finished. Congrats you can spread the news before it's released to the press. Who knows you both maybe able to commiserate losing your meal tickets especially if I decide to proceed with my warning on buying out Bradford's company."

To say that Karlie was surprised was evident, however it didn't stop her from replying, "Should I also let them know you have already moved on?"

Bonnie's eyes turned to a forest green, but before she could respond Damon in a dangerous low voice said, "If so, much as a description of Bonnie appears in the media, not only will I destroy you financially but socially as well."

Bradford knowing that even if Damon alone couldn't ruin him, one word from Giuseppe and Lily Salvatore would have him losing not only financial connections, but kicked out of social circles as well. He pulled Karlie in front of him and said, "That won't be necessary as far as I'm concerned this conversation never happened."

Damon took a hold of Bonnie's hand and proceeded out the door. Once they were outside Damon walked down the street taking several deep breaths and looked at Bonnie and said, "I'm sorry this was not how I intended for you to find out the reason for the dinner party, I didn't tell you before because I wanted to make sure I had accomplished no longer being attached to Felicia. I don't want you caught in the middle or any blame placed on you."

Bonnie was still a little shocked by what she just heard so at first, she didn't say anything. Damon wouldn't look Bonnie in the eyes so she knew he was nervous, she reached up and lowered his face until he couldn't help but looking at her. She smiled and this caused him to ask, "Do you have a car or did you take a taxi?"

Bonnie nodded her head and said, "I took a taxi."

Damon took her hand and started walking to the valet and said, "Can I drive you home?"

This night hadn't gone at all like Bonnie had planned, but she thought back to the reason she had asked Damon to meet her in the first place and realized he had done what he had promised he would do. It was now her turn and she hoped after she revealed her 7-year secret he wouldn't regret keeping his promise.

When Bonnie didn't immediately respond Damon said, "Or not, but can I at least get you a taxi?"

Bonnie grabbed Damon's hand and said, "No you can't drive me home, but you can drive me to your place."

Author's Notes:

I'm so sorry for the time it took me to update. I had a little bit of writer's block on setting up for Damon to find out about Izzie. I want to devote the full chapter to him finding out, so I had to have a filler chapter. Thanks to those who are still reading and since I just needed the filler chapter leading to him finding out, the next chapter should be up shortly.

I also got excited because Lapis Love updated Gift, gh1076 started a new story, Venusnv80 updated A cup of coffee and it got me missing Bamon and wanting to read their stories again. Now if Belvaforelove would update Meet me at midnight, Gurl6 would update Something Real, Astoldbylanah Secret Affairs, twitchytwain he said, she said, MaNiQ1 Best Friend and Crimson Fate, and one of my favorites Zesty Bod's Dear Elena and any stories of bellavida0213, damnbamon and 26Chapters. I'm also sad that CarlyCo hasn't updated All Warefare is Based on Deception. (Even through it was still Bonnie and Tyler I was anxious to see if she could still pull off a Bamon ending). With so much crazy stuff going on in the world today its nice to slip into the world of Bamon fanfiction. If you haven't read any of these stories read at your own risk because they are excellent but warning they will leave you wanting more. SORRY FOR THE SHAMLESS BEGGING BUT I LOVE AND MISS THESE STORIES.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Bennett Salvatore!" Bonnie yelled from across the park, "Don't scare me like that, you little daredevil."

Bonnie ran across the park to gather up her little boy who had just stood up and jumped off the slide instead of sliding down. Bonnie didn't know if she was going to survive raising a boy after her mild-mannered daughter Izzie.

She picked up Bennett and hugged him tight and said, "Bennett you can't do that. You might hurt yourself." Bonnie walked her 4-year-old son over to the swings which appeared to be a lot safer than the slide and monkey bars.

Bennett wrapped his little arms around Bonnie's neck and said, "Sorry mommy" and then proceeded to wiggle until Bonnie let him down and he ran onto the swings.

Bonnie look down at her watch and frowned, of course Damon was now 30 minutes late, she would give him 5 more minutes and then she would have to leave to pick up Izzie from school. "Five more minutes bud then we have to get going."

"Bennett stopped and came back over to Bonnie and his eyes that mirrored his mom began to water as he said, "I thought Daddy was coming to play with me."

Bonnie bent down and hugged her little boy and said, "I know he was supposed to meet us but he may have had to go to work, we can call him this evening and reschedule."

Tears started to fall down his chubby cheeks and he pouted, "I wanted to see his face mommy."

Bonnie picked up her little boy and walked over to the bench all the while cursing Damon for making such a big deal of wanting to spend time with his kids and then not following thru. "How about we go pick up your sister and go over to Aunt Caroline's house and swim in the pool?"

Bennett shrugged and said, "Ok mommy I guess". Bonnie began to gather up his toys and her laptop as she looked up, she noticed him.

"Hi" he said as he approached her and picked up his son.

"I was just getting ready to leave; I didn't think you were going to make it." Bonnie said as Bennett squealed and wrapped his arms around Damon's neck.

Damon kissed Bennett on his forehead and ruffled his curly hair and in a serious tone said, "I told Bennett I would be here, so of course I'm not going to miss the chance to spend time with my son."

Bonnie looked over at him and into his blue eyes and thru gritted teeth said, "I know Damon, but for the children's benefit sometimes you just need to try harder."

Before Damon could respond Bennett said, "Daddy I missed you, I knew you would come, will you take me on the swings."

Damon swung Bennett around and said, "I missed you too buddy, why don't you go practice on the swings while I talk you your mom."

Bennett ran towards the swings as Damon took off his jacket and laid it on the bench and turned toward Bonnie and said, "Look I'm sorry I know I'm late but it has been crazy at work trying to keep up not only with Salvatore Industries but D&B."

Bonnie kept her eyes focused on Bennett on the swings refusing to get into a yelling match with Damon she said, "Are you saying its my fault you are stuck with two companies?"

Damon sat down on the bench and sighed and said, "No Bonnie it wasn't a complaint; I was just telling you what is going on in my life. Why is it when we have a conversation no matter what is said, you have to place fault on somebody?"

As Bonnie kept her eye on their son, she crossed her arms and said, "I didn't create this problem Damon, but it seems like everyone feels I'm the reason why our family is split up. Izzie spends more time in her room wanting to be alone then with her family and friends. Bennett is having separation issues where he constantly wants to know where I am and if he is going to see you each day. I know Stephen and Caroline are on your side and feel I'm not being fair."

Damon ran his fingers thru his hair and said, "This is exactly what I mean, it's always you or me, what happen to it being us? We used to be a team, what's that old saying there is no I in team."

Bonnie was tired and they had been thru this argument too many times to count, "Listen you know my position and I know yours but right now I have to go pick up Izzie, I'll call you to setup a good time for you to spend time with the kids."

Damon grabbed her hand before she walked over to get Bennett and said, "Bonnie what about you go pick up Izzie while I watch Bennett and then we can all meet for dinner?"

Bonnie hesitated and Damon squeezed her hand and said, "Please Bonnie you just said that our children are having problems with the mess that we created, let me try and help."

Bonnie took her keys out of her pocket and said, "Okay I'll go get Izzie and see if she feels up to it and call you."

She and Damon walked over to the swings and she told Bennett she was going to pick up Izzie and then they would all have dinner. Her little boy pumped his arms and she hadn't seen him so excited in weeks.

Bennett said, "Will you push me daddy?"

Damon looked at his son who had eyes just like his mother and smiled and walked behind the little boy and grabbed the chains on the side of the swing and pulled back before letting it go. "Remember sport how I showed you to pump you legs back and forth to make you go high?"

"I think so" Bennett said scrunching up his little face concentrating on how to move his legs.

"Remember, in then out, in then out" Damon coached as Bennett began pumping his legs faster.

"I got it daddy!" Bennett yelled as he swung back in forth on the swings.

"Way to go buddy" Damon cheered at his 4-year-old. It was moments like this that Damon was more committed to getting his family back together.

**Five years earlier:**

Bonnie walked over to the windows of Damon's penthouse at 432 Park Avenue and looked out at the surrounding buildings that made up the New York skyline. There was nothing quite like the view of One World Trade Center, Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building and Three World Trade Center. She thought back to the time she lived in New York and the hustle and bustle of city life. The constant sirens, screaming, and yelling, it truly is the 24-hour city. She knew it had positive features like the cultural and ethnic diversity. She knew Izzie would thrive and love all the museums, art, theater and dance and they both would be trouble with the variety of cuisine they would have access to.

Bonnie had to remind herself not to jump to conclusions, once she told Damon about Izzie who knew what would happen. Would they stay in Mystic Falls would Damon want to return to New York, would Damon take her to court for visitation rights or god forbid full custody. This made Bonnie shiver right about the time Damon walked over to her with a mug of hot chocolate.

Damon handed her the mug filled with marshmallows covered with hot caramel and then rubbed her shoulders and said, "This may not be as good as your Grams recipe but I put a shot of bourbon in it that should warm you up, if not would you like to me to turn the fireplace on?"

Bonnie turned around to face him and inhaled the smell of the cocoa, marshmallows, and bourbon and said, "You remembered I prefer caramel instead of chocolate syrup?"

Damon winked and said, "I remember a lot of things that used to bring you pleasure" He then grabbed her around the waist and steered her over to the fireplace where he grabbed a throw and sat it down on the floor while he gathered kindling to light the fireplace.

Bonnie was glad he was focused on lighting the fireplace because a quick heat spread from her cheeks to the lower part of her body. She was trying to slow down her pulse that was racing and has Damon walked over to the bar cart and was pouring a tumbler of bourbon she said, "I can't believe you still have this old fashioned fire place and haven't installed an electric one."

Damon walked over and sat beside Bonnie and said, "You know I love the smell of the wood burning and there is nothing better than turning out all the lights and just watching the embers of the fire dance off the walls."

Bonnie opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Silence filled the room and finally Damon said, "Spill it Bon Bon, what's on your mind?"

Bonnie took a sip of her hot chocolate and opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She closed her eyes and opened them and saw Damon staring out her, she took a deep breath and said, "Damon about Izzie". She opened her mouth again and nothing came out.

Damon got on his knees and turned her chin so he could look her in the eyes and said, "Is something wrong with Izzie, are you upset that I have been calling her?"

Bonnie didn't say anything, she didn't know whether to just blurt out Izzie was is or just start from the beginning when she first learned she was pregnant.

"You are scaring me Bonnie what's going on" Damon whispered as he started rubbing her hands that were ice cold.

Bonnie reached over and grabbed her purse and pulled out a photo and handed it to Damon and said, "This is Izzie my daughter."

Damon felt his heart flip as he took a glance at the little girl who with only a few conversations had already carved a place in his heart. The photo was of a little girl in a tutu at what looked like a dance recital. Damon gazed at the picture and then looked at Bonnie and said, "She is small for her age but she looks just like you Bonnie."

Bonnie was a little surprised that Damon didn't see the resemblance so in trying to make light of the situation she took the photo back and said, "While she may take after me in size, skin tone, and intellect, she takes after her father in his eyes and temperament."

Damon immediately got nervous and his first thought was that Izzie's father wanted his family back, so he said, "Does he know that?"

Bonnie whispered, "He does now."

Damon didn't understand at first and started thinking about a custody battle and how no matter what the cost he would fight to make sure Bonnie didn't lose Izzie. He couldn't imagine what a custody battle would do to that pretty little blue eyed caramel skinned ballerina in the picture. Then it hit him and he whipped his head around and looked at Bonnie who wouldn't meet his eyes, he grabbed the photo out of her hands, and took a closer look at Izzie's features. He looked at her face and saw eyes that mirrored his own and that her little lips that look they were copied from him and pasted onto her face. Damon dropped the photo on the floor and looked at Bonnie and closed his eyes and said, "What's her father's name?"

Bonnie picked up the picture and moved to get up and said, "You are Damon."

Damon stood up and walked out onto the terrace and his first thought was maybe he didn't know Bonnie as well as he thought. He couldn't deny that when he first heard Bonnie had a daughter that what if it was his, he prayed it was his and then they could be the family he always dreamed of. However, he talked himself out of that notion because Bonnie would have told him, she was the one who left him. He rationalized that Bonnie wasn't that cruel, she would never keep a child from their father, she wouldn't make their friends and family hide this lie. So now that she had actually told him that Izzie was his, he had to ask himself if she was lying. That thought quickly disappeared he knew that Bonnie was not a scam artist. She made good money, no it wasn't as good as his family's fortune, but she wasn't the kind of women that thought landing a billionaire was like winning a lottery. In fact, she hightailed it out of town rather then to be thought of as a gold digger or his mistress.

Damon walked back into the living room and said, "Help me out here Bonnie, I don't understand why you would not tell me you were pregnant, why would you hide my child?"

He watched as she took several shaky breaths before her green eyes landed on his and she said, "It wasn't something I did intentionally. I found out after I left New York and when I came back to tell you, I found out you were involved with Felicia. It was like all the arguments we had about your family never accepting me were now more valid than ever. I refused to be known as your baby momma or that I trapped you. Your parents have specific expectations for you. They expect the right education, the right career, the right social network, the right neighborhood, the right perfect "white wife". The word right is like your mother's family motto. I made a decision that I wasn't going to put my daughter thru being told she wasn't right."

Damon picked the glass off the table and thru it into the fireplace and said, "Don't you dare justify this by putting the blame on my family. You should have told me and given me the chance to be a father, you are no better than my mother trying to decide my life for me. It's not only me you robbed, but what about Izzie hasn't she wondered where her father is?"

Bonnie crossed her hands over one another and stared at Damon with cool detachment and said, "You've talked to her you know how intelligent she is, she assumed that since I've never had boyfriends or dated often that I used IVF and I never told her different."

His look darkened and he said, "I want to meet her Now."

Bonnie rolled her eyes and said, "Now is not a good time, she is not at home and when you call tomorrow, she was going to invite you to ride the horses at Stefan's and Caroline's lets just wait until then."

He frowned and said, "Where is she at the hotel alone?"

She glared at him and said, "Yes Damon that's how single mothers who can't afford nannies or boarding school's handle childcare, let the child take care of themselves until their moms get home."

Bonnie thought it was best to give Damon time to cool off so she went to gather her coat and purse when Damon grabbed her elbow and said, "You no longer get to make decisions about the welfare of my child by yourself. I'd like to see her now in person. Please."

Bonnie looked at Damon's hand on her elbow and then looked up at Damon and was going to give him a piece of her mind, but when she saw the sadness in his eyes that she was responsible for she blinked her eyes and said, "Damon it's late and she is with my cousin Lucy, I promised that I would come and pick her up tonight so I know she must be fighting sleep therefore she will be grouchy. I'm not trying to punish you but I don't think having this conversation with her at this time of night is in either of your best interest."

Damon walked over to get his keys from the mantle and said, "We don't have to tell her tonight that I'm her father, but I'm not waiting another hour to meet my daughter. We will pick her up and I'll take you to wherever you are staying, and if she invites me to ride horses you won't discourage her or invite yourself to join us. Once we have spent time together you will tell her all about the lie you fabricated."

Bonnie laid down her coat and said, "Damon we need to be on the same page on this, if she feels this tension between us it will harder for her to understand."

"Bonnie what did you think was going to happen? I'm completely at a loss here, do you know what I went thru thinking that you wasted no time in jumping in bed with someone else and getting pregnant. I didn't understand how you could move on so quickly but still thought it was my fault for not telling you I would walk away from it all if I had you by my side." He laughed as he ran his fingers thru his hair.

Sitting back down on the sofa and grabbing Damon hands pulling him until he was standing in front of her. Bonnie looked up at him with tears forming in eyes and said, "Damon I'm so sorry for the mess I made. It wasn't intentional like I said after moving back to Mystic Falls and discovering I was pregnant I knew I wanted to keep the baby and you deserved to know. I came back to New York to tell you I was pregnant and would be willing to move back to New York and even agree to move in with you like you asked. I went to your apartment, but your mother was there organizing for a party she said you were hosting. When I asked if you were home, she said she was under the impression that my services were no longer needed at the office and in fact you were still at the office dealing with my replacement. Then she started with the questions on if I encouraged you to pursue real estate and that I didn't understand how certain things in your life were already predetermined"

Bonnie could not longer look him in the face and stood up and moved to look out the window. "I got out of there as soon as I could and went to your office and that's where I saw you in your office with Felicia".

"Just what did you see Bonnie?" Damon angrily responded.

"It's not a matter of what I saw it's what I heard. Felicia was telling you that you had plenty of time before the party. I then heard what sounded like clothes being removed and when I cracked the door, I saw Felicia unzipping her dress and you sitting in your chair and pulling her into your lap."

Damon then started laughing and walked over to the bar cart and poured himself another drink and said, "Unbelievable, fucking unbelievable, I missed all 7 years of my daughters life because you didn't wait around to see what really happened or how about throwing the door open and putting up a fight for me."

"That's rich Damon and so predictable for your egotistical brain, to have women fighting over you. Sorry you are not that good" Bonnie said as she glared at him.

Damon stalked over to Bonnie and said, "That's not what I meant. If you would have just stayed and listened or came into my office you would have heard me push Felicia off of me and tell her I was still in love with you. If you had just trusted me or wanted me as much as I wanted you, we wouldn't be in this mess."

Bonnie was stunned she took a couple of steps back and with tears pooling in her eyes again," I didn't know I promise I didn't know. After my conversation with your mother I was shaken up and having second thoughts about telling you, but I remember thinking all I wanted was to share this experience with you."

Damon sighed and shook his head and asked, "So in the last 7 years was there ever a time you thought about telling me, his eyes then bulged as he remembered coming to her apartment and being within a couple of feet of seeing his daughter. Forget about the last 7 years what about when I came over to your apartment she was right there, you could have told me then."

Bonnie continued to cry and said, "Of course I thought about contacting you, every Father's Day since she was born it was the first thing I thought about when I went to wake her up. I felt that it should have been a day that just the two of you spent together."

"Tell me this Bonnie who else knows she is mine?" Damon whispered as he lowered his head and closed his eyes.

Bonnie wiped the tears that were still falling down her cheeks and took a deep breath and said, "Please Damon I know what you are thinking, but this was all on me, blame me, please let's not drag our families into this."

Damon hands were clinched into tight fists and with his mouth clenching said, "Now is not the time to be worried about our families being caught in the middle of this, did my parents or brother know?"

Bonnie quickly answered, "No of course your parents didn't know and as far as Stefan, I think he may have had his suspicion but he never asked and I didn't dare bring it up as I would never expect him to keep my secret from you."

Damon picked up his keys and walked toward the door and said, "Let's go get my daughter Now, I think I've been kept away from her long enough."

Damon gripped the steering wheel as they drove to Lucy house_, Izzie was his daughter, he was going to see her in person in less than 20 minutes, Holy shit, I'm a father!_

Bonnie sat in the passenger seat and wiped her eyes with a tissue and took out her compact and put some powder on her face trying to make sure Izzie didn't realize she had been crying. She looked over a Damon and said, "Izzie is very smart, so please watch what you say, especially about being her father."

Damon glanced over at Bonnie and then back at the road and said, "I'm not going to wait around until it's comfortable for you. From here on out you no longer get to make decisions about my daughter's life by yourself."

Bonnie swallowed, eyes guiltily looking out the window and said, "I know I have no right asking you for a favor, but this is not for me it's for Izzie. I've mentioned that Izzie skipped to the third grade and she is having some trouble adjusting to the changes in her life and I don't want the changes to her family dynamic be additional stress."

Damon pulled into the driveway of Lucy's house and turned off the car and looked at Bonnie, "That's exactly why we will tell her tonight, no more secrets. I'm not going to lie I'm very angry with you right now, but our daughter is the bigger picture so I will do everything in my power to make sure nothing disrupts her life. If that means removing any person or negativity in her life then so be it."

They got out of the car and Bonnie stumbled as she reached the door and Damon grabbed her waist, just as the door opened and Lucy saw the two of them and looked at Bonnie and then Damon and immediately knew something was wrong. "Bonnie are you okay, did something happen after we left the party?"

Bonnie attempted to smile and said, "No everything is fine, we are here to pick up Izzie is she still awake?"

About that time Bonnie heard little feet coming down the stairs and then like a whirlwind her daughter opened the door wider and jumped up into Bonnie's arm.

Damon's gaze was awestruck, he looked down at his daughter in Bonnie's arms and was stunned at the beautiful little girl. Her curly hair was gathered in 2 little afro puffs with gold ribbon and she was small. She wrapped her little arms around Bonnie's neck and said, "Momma you didn't forget you came."

Bonnie hugged her back and said, "Well of course I came back I couldn't let you forget about your babysitting duties with Ms. Cuddles."

At that moment Izzie looked up and saw Damon, her blue eyes mirrored his and she all of a sudden wiggled to get down and ran over to him and looked up at him and said, "Mr. Damon it's you did momma tell you I was going to invite you to come see me ride Auntie Caroline's horses tomorrow?"

Damon looked down at her and was in awe and in love at the exact same moment. With a shaky voice he said, "No she didn't tell me that, but I couldn't wait another moment to meet you."

Lucy sensing something was going on said, "Hey why don't we get out of the doorway and Izzie go grab you stuff and tell your cousin good bye."

Izzie started up the steps and then turned and came running back and grabbed Damon's hand and said, "You will be here when I get back right?"

Damon bent down so he could look her in the eyes and said, "Yes if it's alright with you I'm going to drive you and your Mom back to your Aunt Caroline's house."

Izzie smiled and said "Sweet I will be really quick and I have a doggy bag for you that my Grams helped me make". She took off running towards the steps.

Lucy looked at Bonnie and then Damon and said, "Is everything okay?"

Bonnie tried to smile, but no words would come out.

Damon looked towards the steps to make sure Izzie wasn't on her way down and said, "It will be once my daughter knows I'm her father."

Lucy looked at Bonnie and said, "So I take it you told him and he's not taking it well."

Bonnie replied, "Yes he knows and right now is not the time to discuss this Izzie will be back any moment."

Damon said, "You are right now is not the right time, but after tonight you no longer get to dictate what is right and not right for our daughter."

Lucy looked at Damon and said, "First of all I don't condone keeping a child from their parent, but it was not done maliciously. Bonnie raised Izzie all by herself because she was not trying to be vindictive, but she thought you were involved with someone else and she knew how your parents would react and she didn't want Izzie to feel the rejection. As far as she knew you were happily in a relationship and having a secret child with your former assistant would have messed up what your family wanted for you and what it appears you wanted."

Before either Bonnie or Damon could respond Izzie came bouncing down the stairs with her toys and said, "Aunt Lucy can you get my doggy bag?"

Lucy glanced at Damon and kissed Izzie and said, "Sure sweetheart, what don't you help me."

Lucy took Izzie hands leaving Bonnie and Damon alone. Damon said, "She beautiful, and so small."

He wiped the moisture from his eyes. "I have a daughter,"

Bonnie agreed and then waited. Her heart went out to him and she worried what Izzie would think. She knew she wouldn't be able to handle it if her daughter never forgave her.

Damon sighed and said, "I already love her and for that reason I agree since it's so late we won't tell her tonight, but tomorrow after I spend some time with her, we will tell her together."

Bonnie breathed in and then out and said, "Thank you Damon".

Izzie came back into the room with a box and handed it to Damon and said, "Mr. Damon here are some of my favorites foods from the party. I hope you like them. I wish you could have been there, but Momma said you parents were having a party to".

Damon smiled at her and said, "I wish I would have been there too, and I bet I'm going to love the food you picked out for me. I can't wait to try it, and I can't wait to come ride the horses with you. Are you ready to go"?

Izzie grabbed his hand and then Bonnie and has they walked out the door, she whispered to Bonnie, "Thank you momma for keeping your promise about finding a Daddy for us."

**Author's Note:**

I'm so so sorry it's taken me so long to update this story. Oct-Dec is very busy for me and I was all prepared to start writing in January but then I had to have emergency surgery and was out of commission and I couldn't wait to get back to this story and now with all this craziness with the Coronavirus I felt we all could use a little Bamon to pick us up. I was kind of rushed to get this chapter up today so please forgive me for any mistakes or spelling mistakes. If you want to check out a really good story try The Best man by xthesebonesx. It's one of my favorites right now and I can't wait for it to be updated.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Finally, after getting Izzie to bed, Damon and Bonnie walked downstairs and before he could head for the door Bonnie touched his arm and said, "Before you leave, I would like to show you something."

Damon followed Bonnie into Caroline's office and sighed and said, "It's late Bonnie and I need to get home so I can be back here first thing in the morning."

Bonnie walked over to the desk and grabbed something inside and turned around and walked back to Damon and said, "Here are a few of Izzie's photo albums."

He took the first one and walked over to a couch and started flipping thru the pages and seeing the growth of their daughter from an infant to toddler. Bonnie slowly crept over and sat beside him and said, "She started trying to walk at six months of course Caroline said it was because she was too much of a princess and didn't like crawling on her knees. She started learning her numbers and ABC's shortly after mastering walking."

Damon turned the page and said, "I guess she didn't learn how to say Daddy first huh?"

Bonnie signed and thought it was better not to answer so they spent about another 30 minutes looking at the photos in silence as Bonnie was afraid to try and engage him in conversation. Damon mostly smiled while looking thru the photos but he was still tense and after he finished the last album he turned to Bonnie and said, "Why couldn't you have reached out and told me Bonnie?"

"You know why Damon, I explained to you that it was never something I intended on keeping from you. It also wasn't something I did to be vengeful, I was thinking of my child and doing what I thought was best for her."

"That wasn't your decision to make by yourself Bonnie, not when it effected my life as well." Damon said has he stood up and walked over to the desk.

Bonnie stood up as well picking up the albums he had left on the couch and said, "Wasn't it? You couldn't even tell your parents you were dating me and that you had no intention of taking over Salvatore Industries. You want me to believe that you would have had the courage to tell them that you were going to be a father and then stand up to them when it came to being a family and raising our daughter together?

Damon rubbed his fingers around the back of his neck and said, "That should have been something you gave me the opportunity to decide, it feels that even through you may not have been trying to be vengeful, you where punishing me.

Bonnie walked over to Damon and said, "Punishment? Really Damon. You are blaming me for the fact that you were incapable of speaking up for yourself, and you want me to believe you would have gone against your parents if they refused to accept our child? Back then you and until recently you were not even capable of speaking up for yourself, I couldn't risk telling you"

Damon walked over in front of Bonnie and looked down at her with eyes that no longer held their normal spark and said, "You mean you didn't trust me. You didn't have faith in me to stand up to my parents. Your lack of faith in me and in us resulted in actions that not only affected me but affected our daughter. Thanks to your actions we will never know if we could have been a family since you didn't trust me."

Bonnie released a bitter laugh, "Of course I didn't. I loved you Damon, but I couldn't trust you, knowing how obsessed you were with pleasing you parents. What was I going to do if you'd told them and they reacted exactly how we both know they would have? I didn't have the money to try and fight your family for custody and I refused to live a life on the run with a baby."

"You wouldn't have had to fight for custody or go on the run, you wouldn't have been alone Bonnie!" Damon said has he paced the room.

Bonnie walked over and put the albums back inside the desk and said, "Damon you were engaged to a woman you didn't propose to, and according to you a woman you barely liked just because your mother told you to?" Bonnie rolled her eyes in disgust "Excuse me for trying to make your life easier, because raising a child on my own hasn't been easy, so don't think I kept this secret for anyone but you."

Damon stopped and glared at her, blue eyes trying to reach her unyielding soul, but realizing she was a lot stronger than she used to be. Back then she had been shy and understated, reminiscent of a schoolteacher. Extremely knowledgeable but gentle when wanting to get her point across, but today she was a sleek and sophisticated business woman. "None of your explanations are going to justify your actions Bonnie. You kept my daughter from me. I'm a stranger to my own child."

She refused to feel sorry for him. "Well if you mean that, she's only seven, there is plenty of time to get to know her and in the mean time you can prove I'm wrong that once your parents get wind that you have a daughter that you won't abandon her to run back to New York."

"I will never stay away from my daughter; you can get that thought out of your pretty judgey little head." Yanking his coat off the couch he walked toward the door."

A tear ran down Bonnie's cheek and she sighed and could kick herself for going over the line about Damon's inability to stand up to his parents. She walked out in the hallway where Damon was opening the front door and before he walked out the door he turned around and said, "Tell Izzie I be back tomorrow morning and we can spend the whole day together and just maybe I'll be like you and make decisions on my own and tell her I'm her father." He then pulled the door open and slammed it behind him."

Bonnie started walking up the stairs when she saw Izzie at the top and she wiped the tears from her cheeks and smiled at her daughter. Izzie started walking down the stairs as Bonnie walked up the stairs and when they met Izzie grabbed Bonnie's hands and said, "Mommy why was Mr. Damon upset?"

Bonnie looked down at her daughter and smiled and said, "He wasn't upset he was just sorry he didn't get to spend enough time with you and he wanted me to let you know he will see you first thing in the morning."

Izzie frowned and said, "He was using an outside voice and he shut the door hard."

Bonnie picked up her daughter and smiled to ease her worries and said, "Don't worry about it tonight, you need to rest because you have a busy day tomorrow and me and Mr. Damon will share some news with you." She hugged her daughter and held her close, kissing her on the cheek.

"Okay, Momma, I'm ready to go to sleep so when I wake up it will be tomorrow. "

Bonnie chuckled as she put her daughter to bed, after walking out of the room she walked downstairs and grabbed a glass of wine and when she finally went to bed she tossed and turned and spent the night wondering if her actions had deprived her daughter of a good father.

When Damon left Bonnie and Izzie, he had been so angry he could barely see straight. Rage and tears were a dangerous combination on any road, especially in New York at one point he pulled over to gather his thoughts. To say Damon was shocked to discover he was a father was an understatement, but to see that tiny beautiful little girl that to be honest he had fell in love with the first time he talked to her over the phone. After meeting her he felt she was a gift he didn't know how he deserved.

He knew that he had lashed out at Bonnie because he blamed her, but he also blamed himself since despite his denial she was right. He hadn't been ready back then to stand up to his parents, nor go against their wishes and live his own life. Hell, Bonnie nailed him on that fact that he became engaged to a woman he didn't actually propose to. He couldn't be certain that if she had told him, he would have done right by them and put his daughter first. After the way he stormed out of the house tonight he knew he was going to have to keep his temper in check and stop trying to place all the blame on Bonnie if he wanted any chance to have a relationship with his daughter.

Damon walked into his penthouse and knew that he should go straight to bed since he had a big day tomorrow but he couldn't before he learned everything about seven-year-old girls. He walked to his office and started up his I-pad and was ready to get started, he was going to be prepared and ready to do what it took to be a great father.

When Damon finally made it to bed no sooner than his head hit the pillow his alarm was going off to signal it was 7:00 and has he reached to turn off the alarm panic set in. He realized that if he planned on having Izzie in his life, which he without a doubt did he would have to tell his family. Explain to them that his relationship with Bonnie back then had been more serious than he let on. As he walked toward his bathroom he suddenly thought about Stefan. Was Stefan in on Bonnie's secret. Did he play a part in keeping his own niece from the rest of the family? Damon stepped into the shower and refused to have anything but good thoughts as he prepared to spend the first of what he hoped to be a lifetime with his daughter.

Two hours later he pulled up in the driveway of his brother's house and he froze, and his thoughts from last night came back, how would he handle the fact that his own brother may have been in on keeping Izzie's birth from him. He wondered if that was the reason that their relationship was back to where it was when they were teenagers. Damon got out of his car and approached the door and rang the bell and only had to wait a couple of seconds when said brother opened the door. By the frown on Stefan's face Damon had no doubt that if Stefan didn't know he was Izzie's father before he knew now.

Stefan stood in the door frowning down and making no effort to move. "We need to talk before I let you see Izzie."

Damon rolled his eyes and stepped back as Stefan walked out the door shutting it behind him. "Look Stefan now is not the time; I'm trying to get over Bonnie's betrayal and I don't know if I can handle coming to terms with what role you played in keeping my daughter from me."

Stefan chuckled and said, "Sorry to break it to you Damon, but this is one time I stayed out of the mess that is your life. I warned you about getting involved with Bonnie because she wasn't like your previous girlfriends who let you dictate the relationship. When Bonnie gave you the option of solidifying your relationship or moving on, you didn't take her serious. When she left and I saw you immediately start dating Felicia because Mother felt she looked good on paper I thought like everyone else you weren't in love with Bonnie like you led me to believe."

Damon got up in Stefan's face and said, "Admit in Stefan you always thought I didn't deserve Bonnie, you couldn't stand that she saw anything good in me. I bet you couldn't wait until she came to her senses. I remember when she first left and I called you to get your advice and you told me to give it time, Ha, Ha, jokes on me. I didn't know you meant 8 years and when I heard she was pregnant I called you to see if you knew who the father was and you told me you had no clue and that when you tried reaching out to Bonnie she didn't return your phone calls"

Stefan pushed Damon back and said, "Don't make this out to be your twisted version of me getting back at you or me to be the bad guy. I had no clue that you were the father and to be honest once I saw that you were staying at Salvatore Industries and dating Felicia, I ignored any suspension the baby was yours until I laid eyes on Izzie myself. I didn't know what went down with you and Bonnie and if you remember when you first started dating you told me to stay out of your relationship so I would never be caught in the middle"

"Stefan Izzie is seven years old, you never once thought I deserved the right to know. Hell, you didn't even think that Izzie had a right to have a father in her life." Damon yelled as he bumped into Stefan's shoulder going back towards the door.

Stefan grabbed Damon arm stopping him and said, "I did as you requested, I stayed out of it. I never brought it up to Bonnie, never came out and asked if you were Izzie's father, but what I did do was try and be there for a little girl who may or may not have been my niece. That's why I'm letting you know right know, I won't let you hurt her."

"I should have known you would make me the bad guy, how is this my fault? Bonnie is the one who kept my daughter from me for 7 god damn years. What about the fact that you couldn't acknowledge your first niece, mother and father weren't able to be first time grandparents?" Damon responded back to Stefan.

"This is not a contest to see who was right and who was wrong. This should be about doing what is best for that little girl. I have seen Bonnie work her butt off to make something of herself at the same time making sure her daughter knew her unconditional love and surrounded her with friends and family who didn't pass judgement, and give her support anyway they can. So, forgive me for not demanding Bonnie tell you or telling you myself, because you always said you had no plans to have children, but now all of a sudden you want to play daddy with Izzie?"

Damon took a deep breath and balled his hands into fist and said, "First of all brother, I won't be playing daddy, I am her father and I think you are just jealous that it's me not you. You are right about one thing this is not a contest."

"Then stop playing the blame game, if you need to hear that yes Bonnie should have told you, Yes Damon Bonnie should have told you, but if you want to be a part of Izzie's life then you have to get over the animosity you feel right now. Izzie thinks Bonnie hung the moon, plus she has Caroline, Elena, Tyler even Enzo wrapped around her little fingers, so think about this before you go and want them to pick sides or try and get even with them. It's either going to cause Izzie to lose the people who have been a big part of her life and she considers family or you are going to alienate yourself from being a part of her life." Stefan said as he walked back to the door.

"So, I'm just supposed to forget that everyone lied to me for the last 7 years and go on like nothing happened? Damon asked.

Stefan turned around and said, "No I'm not telling you to forget about it, yes this is a mess, but have you asked yourself why we all kept silent and never pushed Bonnie to tell you? It's because we knew how different Izzie's life would have been if Giuseppe and Lily knew Bonnie had given birth to your child. How do you think Mother would have reacted? She would have first argued it wasn't yours and Bonnie was a gold digger and trying to trap you. She would have demanded a paternity test and when it was proven the child was yours, she would have started in on how you were a disappointment and embarrassment having a child out of wedlock with a woman without the right family connections. Instead Izzie was surrounded by friends and family who love and nurture her."

Damon hung his head down and then looked up and said, "What am I supposed to do Stefan? Continue to be kept out of my daughter's life because I'm afraid of what Lily is going to think about her?"

"No of course not, but I do think that before you tell Izzie you are her father you need to be in a place where your main priority is doing what is best for Izzie. Are you prepared to do that?" No more letting Mother dictate your career and love life." Stefan told his brother.

Damon licked his lips and put his hands in his leather jacket and said, "Do you doubt that I can be a good father?"

Stefan smiled and said, "No, the fact that you are here right now and ready to jump right in, shows me you will be a great father."

Damon had been holding his breath waiting for Stefan answer, so he took a deep breath and said, " I know we haven't been close the last couple of years, but I do want to do this right so I would appreciate any help or advice you have to offer."

Before Stefan could answer the front door opened and Izzie came running out and said, "Uncle Stefan I thought I heard you talking out here, I didn't know you know my friend Mr. Damon."

Stefan walked over and picked up Izzie and said, "Well actually princess, Damon is my big brother."

Izzie eyes bulged as she looked over at Damon and then back at Stefan and said, "Then why haven't I ever met him and you don't have the same hair or eyes?" she said as she patted Stefan hair.

Stefan giggled and said, "Well I guess it's because I look like our mom and Damon takes after our dad. "

Izzie nodded and said, "Just like how I look like my momma."

Damon noticed that Stefan had failed to acknowledge Izzie's question on why they had never met until now. and said, "I was just telling Stefan if he would have told me about you, it wouldn't have taken me so long to visit Mystic Falls."

Izzie giggled and said, "I can now call you Uncle Damon, right?"

Stefan saw the frown on Damon's face so before he could reply Stefan let Izzie down and said, "Okay princess let's go start breakfast".

Izzie ran over to Damon and grabbed his hand and said, "I'm helping Mama and Aunt Caroline with breakfast, and I get to help with the crepes do you want to help?"

Damon looked down at his daughter and was impressed with her outgoing personality and has they walked thru the door he said, "Isn't crepes a little extravagant for your breakfast little one, sounds like something your aunt Caroline requested?"

As they walked to the kitchen Damon was a little in awe as Izzie explained to him that crepes dated back to the 14th century and were served to worshippers and then she went on about how they were made to honor the god of fertility and was a sign of prosperity and by the time they reached the kitchen she explained according to tradition, if you make a wish while cooking the crepes and holding a gold coin your wish will come true. Damon laughed and knew that little tid-bit must have come from Bonnie's Grams. "Well I don't know about good luck and making wishes come true, but I think my pancakes are world famous and if you promise not to give away my recipe why don't we start with those?"

Izzie looked at her mom and said, "Mom we are going to make pancakes instead of crepes." She looked at Damon and giggled and took his hand and said, "Don't worry Mr. I mean uncle Damon I'm a really good cook and so we can start easy with pancakes but the next time I can show you how to make crepes."

Bonnie who was preparing to make coffee, stopped and looked at the pair and said, "Uncle Damon?"

Izzie looked at her Mom and said, "Yeah Mom why didn't you tell me that Uncle Stephan and Mr. Damon were brothers?"

Bonnie looked to Damon who had a smirk on his face as he waited to see how she would respond. Taking a deep breath, she looked at her daughter and said, "Well I met Stefan in college and his brother Damon had already graduated so I didn't meet him until later."

Damon frowned at her answer, and was getting ready to reply when he remembered Stefan advise about reaching a middle ground with Bonnie for Izzie. Damon being Damon couldn't resist getting in at least one dig so he said, "I think your Mom wanted to keep you all to herself, so let's make our pancakes and show her how to share."

Bonnie was going to respond, but Izzie pulled Damon to the refrigerator has she began getting the ingredients for the pancakes so she seemed to accept the explanation or was so excited for her day with Damon she didn't ask more questions.

Bonnie couldn't take her eyes off Izzie and Damon as they made the pancakes. To be honest she very much preferred Izzie's crepes over Damon pancakes that he always made with a simile face, but they both looked so adorable with flour all over them that she was overcome with an intensity of guilt that she couldn't get out of the room fast enough, she quietly said, "It looks like you have it under control, I'm going to go shower and change."

Izzie turned from stirring the pancake mixture and giggled and said, "Don't worry momma I'll supervise Uncle Damon."

Damon didn't know the last time he had this much fun without it involving alcohol or sex, but Izzie was so intelligent and outgoing and while he never thought about having kids, he was pretty sure in just one morning he was already in love with her and wrapped around her little fingers.

Just as Damon took the pancakes off the griddle and placed them on the table Caroline walked into the kitchen and frowned at the pancakes and said, "What happened to us making crepes?"

Izzie who was already sitting at the table clapped and said, "Uncle Damon and I made pancakes instead and look Aunt Caroline some have chocolate chips, some have smiles, and this one has horns."

Damon sat down in the chair next to Izzie and smirked and said, "I made the ones with horns just for you Blondie."

Caroline rolled her eyes and since she just had a conversation with Stefan who urged her to let go of any hostility and to not take sides when it came to Bonnie and Damon therefore Izzie wouldn't be caught in the middle. She pushed the pancakes away and looked at Izzie and said, "Where's your mother princess?

Before Izzie could answer Bonnie walked into the kitchen sand said, "I'm right here Caroline, did you need something?"

Caroline stood up and hugged Bonnie and said, "No, but me and Stefan have errands to run and I wanted to make sure it was okay to leave you three alone." As she glared at Damon.

Izzie who had been laughing with Damon all of a sudden looked up and said, "Does this mean we can't ride the horses, I brought home carrots for Tinkerbell and Spitfire and they won't be as good if they are not eaten today."

Before Caroline could respond Damon said, "Don't worry we can still go Izzie, it's been awhile since I've been on a horse, but I used to be a pretty good rider back in the day."

Izzie looked over at Bonnie and said, "Please momma can I go ride the horses with Uncle Damon?" She waited for Bonnie to answer while blinking her eyes that mirrored Damon and lips formed in a pout.

Bonnie sighed and said, "How about a compromise, you can go down and feed the horses, but no riding the horses until we talk about maybe having you enroll in a riding school."

Izzie pumped her little arms in the air and said, "Yes thank you momma, Uncle Damon can you teach me to ride?"

Damon looked over at Bonnie who had a frown on her face and said, "How about this what don't you ride with me this morning and then will research places in Mystic Falls that have lessons."

Izzie thought for a moment and finally said, "Okay but I want to hold the reins."

Caroline who had been watching the dynamic between Izzie and Damon grabbed Bonnie by the arm and walked out into the hallway and said, "What the hell is going on with those two and who knew Damon could be so paternal, it's kind of scary."

Bonnie walked Caroline to the door not wanting for Izzie to hear them, however they both were so wrapped up in talking about horses they didn't even notice she had walked out of the room. Bonnie brushed her hair behind her ears and said, "I don't know whether to be excited they get along so well or wrecked with guilt because who knows what kind of family we would have been if I would have been strong enough to tell Damon the truth."

Caroline hugged Bonnie and said, "What's done is done, you can't look backwards and there is no point in thinking about what might have been you and Damon were different people back then. You need to concentrate on the future and Stefan said that he had a conversation with Damon about not trying to place blame and getting rid of any grudges he has toward any of us for keeping your secret and think of what is best for Izzie and for once it looks like he listened."

Bonnie told Caroline bye and walked back into the kitchen where Izzie had her mouth covered in whip cream and her blue eyes were widened in wonder as she listened to Damon tell her the story of when he went to France and toured the Eiffel Tower.

Bonnie sat down at the table and Izzie looked over and asked, "Momma which pancake would you like?

Bonnie noticed that only the pancake with the horns and one with a clown face made with bananas and blueberries for the eyes and mouth, a strawberry for the nose was left. She looked at Damon who had a smile on his face and said, "Thank you sweetheart, but I think I'll just have my coffee."

Bonnie's face was buried in her giant coffee mug, normally she didn't drink more than 2 cups of coffee in the morning, but she needed every ounce of caffeine to get her through the day with Damon. Bonnie lowered the mug and looked over at Damon who was totally focused on Izzie and acted like Bonnie was not even in the room. Bonnie saw that Izzie and Damon where finished with breakfast so she said, "Okay kiddo why don't you wash you face and put on your riding boots so we can head down to the stables."

Izzie jumped up and ran out of the room and Bonnie got up to clean up the dishes when Damon cleared his throat and said, "So are we just going to ignore each other."

Bonnie stopped to listen and make sure Izzie wasn't on her way back downstairs before she responded, "I thought you were ignoring me and I don't want us to be bicker in front of Izzie and I wanted to see how well she adapted to having someone new in her life. Since she started a new school, she is still adjusting to meeting new people. Clearly the way you too are getting along this morning it's not an issue."

Damon smiled and realized just how truly happy he was with spending time with Izzie, she was bubbly, bright, kind, sweet and full of love and unafraid to show it. "Stefan gave me some good advice this morning, although I will never admit it to him, but if I'm going to be apart of Izzie's life, I can't hold grudges and I should focus on the future since I can't change the past."

Bonnie blew out a breath she didn't know she was holding and said, "Thank you Damon, I know this hasn't been easy for you and I think that we should sit Izzie down tonight and tell her you are her Dad. I want to make things right and telling her as soon as possible is the right thing to do."

Before Damon could respond, Izzie ran back into the kitchen and said, "I'm ready Mom."

Bonnie inspected her daughter who looked so adorable in her black tights and pink t-shirt that had little horses with black glitter that matched the bows in her hair. She had on her new riding boots that Caroline and Stefan gave her that were black with pink stripes down the side. Bonnie kissed her on the cheek and said, "Alright sweetheart how about I stay here and clean up the kitchen and you and Damon go ride the horses."

Izzie looked at Bonnie and frowned and said, "Can't you clean the kitchen later, I wanted us all to do something together."

Damon walked over to Izzie and picked her up and said, "I thought we would start the day with us riding the horses, and then we can all go to the museum. I read that the Museum of Modern Art has some cool exhibits of some of the most influential collection of modern art and some pretty neat architecture and then we can all go out to dinner and you can pick the restaurant."

Izzie's eyes were filled with awe as she looked at Bonnie and said, "Really that sounds awesome, can we go Mom?"

Bonnie wanted to make sure that Izzie enjoyed her day before telling her the truth about Damon so she said, "I think that sounds like a wonderful idea."

After a morning spent riding the horses the three of them drove into the city and went to the museum, which was a total hit with Izzie. She was engaged, learning and offering up what she already knew about art and design. She would go off and explore the exhibits, but made sure she didn't stay out of the eyesight of Bonnie and then as they walked thru the museum, she walked in the middle keeping her tiny hands attached to both Bonnie and Damon. The picture they made together was enough for anyone who looked at them to think they were a tight knit family.

After spending a couple of hours at the museum Izzie decided on a Chinese restaurant, where Damon taught Izzie how to use chopsticks. Bonnie again sat and watched Damon and Izzie laugh and ask each other nonstop questions as they learned about each other. It made Bonnie wonder what would happen when they returned to Mystic Falls in a couple of days. Would Damon want to remain a part of their lives or would at the instance of his mother return to New York. If he did return to New York would he try to fight her for custody or simple return to his life like he did when Bonnie left New York. These questions kept her mind busy and occupied and before she knew it dinner was finished and the waitress was back at the table asking about dessert.

Damon looked at Izzie and smiled and said, "How about an Egg Tart or a Moon Cake?"

Izzie clapped her hands and said, "Moon cakes because they are supposed to be shared with new friends and at family gatherings, and Uncle Damon is my new friend so we should share the Moon Cake."

Damon's eyes teared as he looked in awe at Izzie, she was a part genius, part little girl and both parts were abundantly present at all times. He looked at her and said, "so little one how did you learn the meaning behind Moon Cakes?"

Bonnie smiled looking over at Izzie and said, "Well in addition to loving horses, ballet, cooking is also one of Izzie's passions."

Damon laughed and said, "A seven-year-old fourth grader who wants to be a jockey, ballerina, and a chef, anything else you want to add to that list little one? With the rate you are going you might be ready for college in about seven years."

Izzie looked down and frowned and said, "I hope not."

Damon looked at Bonnie and then over at Izzie and said, "Why not?"

Bonnie looked at Izzie and when she didn't answer she turned towards Damon and said, "Well her IQ is off the charts, so she should be doing sixth grade work, but with the age difference she might not get any socialization skills so we compromised on her going to fourth grade, but since the school year is coming to an end, Izzie don't you think it's time for us to revisit you advancing?"

Izzie signed and slumped her shoulders and said, "I don't know."

She looked so sad, that Damon wanted to wrap her in a hug and promised to take a look into the school she was currently attending, and despite her intelligence she was still a child and he knew first hand of having to do something you didn't like but wanted to please a parent. "Well let's not think about that right now, how about we order both the Egg Tart and the Moon Cake?"

Izzie brightened up and said, "Yes and we can share."

The drive home was quiet as Izzie who had a long day was in the backseat playing a game on Bonnie's phone. Bonnie was mentally preparing herself to tell Izzie that Damon was her father. As they pulled up to the house, Damon helped Izzie out of the car and carried her inside the house. Once they entered the house Izzie looked up at Damon and said, "Momma can Uncle Damon read me my bedtime story?"

"Sorry sweetie but remember that I told you that we needed to have a talk?"

Izzie yawned and as Damon put her down, she said, "I had so much fun today, I almost forgot."

They walked into the living room and Bonnie sat on the couch with Izzie and Damon stood by the fireplace keeping a safe distance. He didn't know if Bonnie wanted to tell her by herself or if they should tell her together.

Bonnie looked at Izzie and said, "You know how you think that I was artificially inseminated so I could have a baby?"

Izzie nodded and said, "You didn't want to wait for the right Daddy to come along because you wanted me so much."

"That's right. Well, now I'm asking for your forgiveness because when you asked me to find you a new Daddy and I said I would try I lied. I didn't know how to explain the truth that I knew where your father was so I let you believe the artificial insemination story."

Izzie looked at her mom with a puzzled face and Bonnie took her hand and said, "Baby Damon is your father."

"Uncle Damon is my dad; did he not want to be with us?"

"Yes, Damon is your father, but he never knew about you. By the time I found out I was going to have you, I had already moved to Mystic Falls and your dad had to stay in New York to be with his parents and I didn't want him to feel he had to make a decision to be with us or his family."

This caught Damon off guard because he didn't know Bonnie would admit she lied and place no blame on him, but he still felt he needed to make sure Bonnie didn't take all the blame. He walked over and sat down next to Izzie and said, "She knew that I would have been afraid and not strong enough to disappoint my parents."

Izzie looked down shyly and said, "Are you still afraid or do you want to be my dad?"

Damon now had tears in his eyes as he said, "More than anything in the world."

Izzie seemed to accept his answer and turned back to Bonnie and said, "Can I be alone now Mommy, I'm tired and don't think I want a story tonight."

Bonnie nodded her head and said, "Sure sweetheart, I'll come up and check on you in a minute."

Izzie got up and headed out of the room, but turned around and came back and stood in front of Damon and said, "Thank you for today I loved the museum and learning how to use chopsticks."

Damon noticed that she didn't say Daddy or even Uncle Damon, he gave her a hug any way and said, "It's been one of the best days of my life."

Izzie turned around and went upstairs, and Damon looked at Bonnie and said, "Well that didn't go over like I expected."

Bonnie wiped the tears from her eyes and said, "Give her time don't take it personal, remember she is a smart little girl and needs to make sense of this all before she talks about it."

Damon nodded his head like he understood but couldn't help to feel like she was disappointed in him and thought he was weak. "I sure hope so because I'm willing to do anything to keep a smile on her face and make sure she has a perfect life."

Author's Note:

So sorry for the delay but I had so much I wanted to get into this chapter because I wanted to move past the secret and get to Damon, Bonnie and Izzie being a family. Also last time I was so worried about putting up a chapter after such a long delay and my surgery I rushed it and got one bad review about Izzie of all things and kind of set me back, but the only way to get better is to keep writing so I tried to take my time with this chapter but again so much I wanted to cover so sorry for the delay and the length.

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy.


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